Will Create Bi-Partisan Commission To Recommend Changes To Improve Costs, Reduce Crime And Violence
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Tom Rooney (R-FL) announced the introduction of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010.
 
The legislation will create a blue-ribbon bipartisan commission charged with undertaking an 18-month comprehensive review of the Nation’s criminal justice system. The Commission will study all areas of the criminal justice system, including federal, state, local and tribal governments’ criminal justice costs, practices, and policies.  After conducting the review, the Commission will make recommendations for changes in, or continuation of oversight, policies, practices, and laws designed to prevent, deter, and reduce crime and violence, improve cost-effectiveness, and ensure the interests of justice.  The bill has been endorsed by approximately 100 organizations.

“Lady Justice's scales remind us that- in American jurisprudence - fairness outweighs all other concerns. As a former prosecutor, I know firsthand that our judicial processes often fail to uphold this core principle. Fortunately, the National Criminal Justice Commission will examine ways to reform the judicial system to ensure that fairness prevails. It has been forty years since America had a comprehensive exam of our criminal justice system. She's long overdue for a check-up,” said Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH11). “Our current system severely punishes non-violent offenders while often granting violent criminals freedom and unfettered opportunities to menace our communities.  The Commission would provide recommendations to address these problems.”  
 
“The bill we introduced today will create a bipartisan commission to undertake a comprehensive review of our nation’s criminal justice system for the first time in 40 years,” said Delahunt “I want to commend Senator Webb for his extraordinary and tireless work in the Senate, and look forward to working with my colleagues – Representatives Issa, Fudge, Rooney, and Scott – as we work together on this vital legislation that seeks to promote the interests of justice and public safety.

“Our justice system is expensive, makes mistakes, and too often fails to shield the public from dangerous criminals,” said Rep. Issa.  “The opportunity to learn lessons from failures, along with the promise of new technologies and systems, make conducting a high level examination of our justice system a worthwhile effort.  There is certainly room to correct shortcomings while preserving the pillars of our legal system.”

Congressman Tom Rooney (R-Fla.): “We need to take a close look at what works and what does not in our criminal justice system.  This bipartisan bill will create a commission to study all aspects of our criminal justice system and report back on what we can do better to prevent crime, reduce violence and control costs.”
 
The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010, was introduced in the Senate as S. 714 by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA). The bill has received widespread bipartisan support and has 37 cosponsors in the Senate, including Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Ranking Member Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Judiciary Committee member Senator Orrin G Hatch (R-U).