FAMM Frustrated by Introduction of Mandatory Minimums in Pennsylvania


HARRISBURG – FAMM’s Pennsylvania State Policy Director Celeste Trusty released the following statement after the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee added mandatory minimum sentences to SB 501:

Contact:
Tripp Laino, 202-999-4273

FAMM Frustrated by Introduction of Mandatory Minimums in Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG – FAMM’s Pennsylvania State Policy Director Celeste Trusty released the following statement after the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee added mandatory minimum sentences to SB 501:

“While we’re happy to see the advancement of the second Justice Reinvestment Initiative that passed in the Senate, it is with one important caveat: Adding mandatory minimum sentences to SB 501 is an attempt to seem “tough-on-crime” that is in actuality an irresponsible waste of taxpayer resources and, like all mandatory minimums, will fail to make Pennsylvania safer.

Mandatory minimums are the opposite of sensible, cost-saving, evidence-based criminal justice policy and belong in the dustbin of history, not in a bill that is supposed to put Pennsylvania on the cutting edge of smart criminal justice policy. FAMM will continue to advocate smart, effective, and individualized sentencing in JRI II and in Pennsylvania.

For nearly three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM’s focus on ending a one-size-fits-all punishment structure has led to reforms to sentencing and prison policies in 6 states and is paving the way to programs that support rehabilitation for the 94% of all prisoners who will return to our neighborhoods one day.

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FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safeguard taxpayer dollars and keep our communities safe. Founded in 1991, FAMM is helping transform America’s criminal justice system by uniting the voices of impacted families and individuals and elevating the issues all across the country.

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