JC Watts: Collaboration Needed In Criminal Justice Reform
Collaboration needed in criminal justice reform
BY J.C. WATTS
On Monday, I am honored to discuss the importance of criminal justice reform with the outstanding group of local, state and federal legislators at the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL) conference in Oklahoma City. Our country’s unparalleled incarceration rates have come at a significant cost to public safety and fiscal health, and they’ve had a devastating impact on individuals, families, and communities across Oklahoma and the entire country.
As chairman of the Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Corrections, a congressionally mandated blue-ribbon task force on federal corrections reform, I have spent this past year focusing on reforms to our federal system by examining states that have achieved success.
Across the country, the most significant progress has been made through bipartisan collaboration. States, including traditionally “tough on crime” states such as Texas and Georgia, have led the charge in improving their justice systems by sticking to the facts and setting aside political differences. They’ve examined the causes of this incarceration crisis, its impact on public safety and public costs, and potential solutions. The resulting reforms have yielded substantial savings without increasing crime rates.
My own experience representing Oklahoma in Congress has shown me that true collaboration is about more than sponsoring legislation with members across the aisle. Collaboration also means challenging members of your own party, and challenging yourself, to think outside the box.
Reforms are much needed. Our prisons are full of non violent mothers and fathers that need to be tending to their children the state takes away from them and has to support.
People are taken our of society for growing herbs while child molesters and murderers walk free. This has been very detrimental to society as a whole. My family has been touched by it
The whole war on drugs has turned into a war on the American people. It pits the police against the people that they have sworn to serve. These people need help and we need to be rid of violence in our streets because now they are coming after the police with a vengeance because they no longer respect the uniform.
it’s time to choose who you are sworn to serve: the almighty government our your brothers, sisters and neighbors