CNN host Van Jones of Dream Corps, a national non-profit organization operating at the crossroads of criminal justice reform. He is a founder and a member of the board of directors. Fairness in economics and technology. Nisha Anand is the CEO of the group. The views expressed in this commentary are their own. Showsother opinionsabout CNN.
(CNN)In the just-completed term of the Supreme Court, nine judges are often controversial and predictable. It turns out that they are in opposition to each other along the straight line. Two particularly controversial decisions wereRoev, who defeated New York's gun law with a decisionin6-3. By overthrowing Wadewith a 5-4 vote, he discovered that the conservatives of the court dominated the liberal minority. ..
But one decision that has been overlooked is It was broken by the division of its well-known ideology. .. And that should give Americans-at least on some issues-hope that the left and right of this country can still be together.
In addition to showing that there is not always a division of parties And last month's decision on theConceptionwas welcome news for the thousands of people behind the bar and their loved ones.
Conception believed that his decision should be reduced under the revised guidelines. He also claims that he deserves a reduction because his previous conviction was revoked and he showed mental and personal growth while in prison, including while participating in the inmate's rehabilitation program. did. Federal judges, and later the Court of Appeals, opposed saying they were forced to apply the guidelines implemented at the time of his decision.
In essence, the court opened the door to a second chance for countless imprisoned people.
The law now enjoys bipartisan support in the Senate to withstand agenda. This means that the passage is virtually certain. When the Chamber of Commerce votes on the bill, it goes to President Byden's desk, signs the law, and gives judges even more freedom to reduce sometimes unfair and nasty decisions. The Supreme Court's decision at the
Conceptioncould mean reducing the decisions of thousands of people. It also means that the court has made it easier to reward those who have taken steps to improve themselves. And allowing judges to take into account new information helps ensure that rehabilitation is a key point in our criminal justice system.
You can reduce crime by helping people change their lives. It keeps us all much safer than simply trapping people behind the bar without hope for the future. If members of the deeply divided Supreme Court can admit this, the rest of us can admit it as well.
Our deep division over issues such as reproductive freedom means that it is more important than ever to cooperate with issues that liberals and conservatives agree on. Criminal judicial reform is clearly one such area.
Court Roev. We believe Wade's decision was a tragedy. But millions of Americans who love the country as much as we do are against it. Despite such disagreements, we can find ways to work together to make the country better on the issues that every politically compelling American is looking at. believe.
Criminal judicial reform has been one of the few glorious spots of bipartisan in the last few years, including Democrats, Republicans, former President Donald Trump, current President Joe Byden, and now the United States. It is a partisan judicial coalition. supreme court.
Despite the partisan resentment of this current political moment, a coalition of left and right has emerged to turn our judicial system towards rehabilitation and away from the "rock" spirit.
We need more of that energy now.
