letter05.php v03 2019-08-12 8:33 AM

Restore federal parole

The “land of the free” incarcerates too many people, especially at the federal level. There are several causes for this…

We have too many laws.
Congress has expanded the number of criminal penalties far beyond what the Constitution authorizes.
Congress abolished federal parole when it passed the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984.

All of this harms American freedom. It’s also expensive. A year in prison costs more than a year in college.

As explained in my letter to Congress, below, the War on Drugs is the most extreme example of all three problems listed above.

Plus, the belief that some prisoners are too dangerous to release due to violence or sexual crimes is a very expensive myth. People imprisoned for homicide and sexual assault are actually the least likely to re-offend after release. Moreover, homicide convicts are the least likely to be re-arrested. Rape and sexual assault re-arrest rates are 30-50% lower than for those convicted for larceny and motor vehicle theft. Prudence dictates the need to re-think both the number of people our politicians incarcerate and the length of the sentences they impose.

Simply, we must reduce the prison population. Tell your representatives to restore federal parole. – Jim Babka, Downsize DC President

Sending Letters from this page is suspended

Please email feedback@downsizedc.org if you would like this page reinstated.
If you do not want to wait for our maintenance to be completed you may use the following suggested Subject and Text and follow a procedure below.
Suggested

Subject:

Restore federal parole

Suggested Text:

Are we really the land of the free? The U.S. has the largest prison population in the world. Worse, many of these people are serving federal sentences with no possibility of parole.

To be clear, I am writing about restoring federal parole, which was abolished by the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. But I wish you'd do even more…

The real problem is too many federal criminal laws. Indeed, the most common reason for federal incarceration is drug-related. Drug offenses are the primary conviction for 49 percent of the cases. The war on drugs should be ended and non-violent offenders of it should be released. Cutting lengths of stay 50 percent for drug trafficking offenses would reduce the federal prison population 18 percent by 2023 [source: https://tinyurl.com/drugsprison]. But don't stop there…

The Constitution enumerates only seven federal crimes for private individuals. This tiny list includes piracy, counterfeiting, treason, and enslaving another human being. Do we have pirates in jail? Large numbers of traitors? Are they all counterfeiters? Slave traders? Of course not.

I want to see fewer Americans in prison, especially for supposed federal crimes. A year in prison costs more than a year in college!

The simplest way you can start to reduce the prison population is to restore federal parole. I will be watching for action on this matter and sharing your progress (or lack thereof) with my friends.

Procedure to send an email to your Representative

Visit www.house.gov The official website for the US House of Representatives.
Enter your zip code under FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE near the top right
click LOOK UP
click on the envelop icon that appears under your representatives picture.
follow the instructions

Procedure to send an email to a Senator

Visit www.senate.gov/senators/How_to_correspond_senators.htm
follow the instructions

Procedure to send an email to the President

Visit www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
follow the instructions