Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) on the National Criminal Justice Commission Act

Thank you for contacting me regarding S. 714, the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009.  I appreciate hearing from you. 
 
As you may know, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA), introduced S. 714 on March 26, 2009.  The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I am a member, but it has not yet been considered. 
 
The bill would establish a National Criminal Justice Commission to undertake a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system.  The Commission will be charged with (1) reviewing all areas of federal and state criminal justice costs, practices, and policies; (2) making specified findings relating to incarceration, prison administration, the impact of gang activity, drug policy, mental illness among prisoners and the role of the military in crime prevention; (3) making recommendations for changes in policies and laws to address findings; (4) consulting with government and nongovernmental leaders, including state and local law enforcement officials; and (5) submitting a final report to Congress and the President and making such report public.
 
There is no doubt that criminal acts must be dealt with seriously. But diverting all our resources toward locking up offenders, without any focus on prevention and rehabilitation, is the least effective way of fighting crime.  Research shows that alternatives to incarceration – such as drug courts, substance abuse programs, mental health treatment, and electronic monitoring – are far more effective in preventing recidivism among certain categories of offenders, including low-level, non-violent offenders, those who are mentally ill, and juveniles.  It is also critical that incarcerated individuals have access to drug treatment, education, job training, and other reentry programs that greatly increase the chances for successful reintegration into society.  These alternatives and programs not only work better in reducing crime; they ultimately save taxpayer money by keeping more people out of prisons. 
 
Thank you again for contacting me. I will keep your views in mind should this bill come before the Senate Judiciary Committee, or the full Senate. For more information about my work on behalf of Wisconsin, you can subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter by visiting http://feingold.senate.gov/newsletter.cfm. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.