Dupage Policy Journal

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin recently held a news conference to discuss the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015, a bipartisan piece of legislation he helped create in the Senate to reform the nation’s criminal justice policy.

The bill specifically addresses the mass incarceration that has disproportionately impacted minority communities across the nation.

"Mandatory minimum sentences were once seen as a strong deterrent," Durbin said. "In reality, they have too often been unfair, fiscally irresponsible and a threat to public safety. Given tight budgets and overcrowded prison cells, our country must reform these outdated and ineffective laws that have cost American taxpayers billions of dollars. This bill is the best chance in a generation to make meaningful changes in our federal drug sentencing laws. We cannot squander it. Congress should pass this bipartisan legislation to relieve our overcrowded prisons, help keep our communities safe and ensure the integrity of our justice system.”

Also, the bill would modernize federal drug sentencing policies by giving federal judges greater discretion at sentencing for non-violent, low-level drug crimes. The bipartisan bill would further reduce prison overcrowding, redirect funding to the most pressing law enforcement efforts and curb recidivism by helping prisoners successfully reenter society.