UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION ALERT

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Today the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted to adopt priorities that "reflect calls to simplify sentencing, reduce the costs of unnecessary incarceration, and promote public safety"

The U.S. Sentencing Commission meeting today was titled "Embracing the Public’s Ideas to Improve Sentencing, Commission Unanimously Adopts Policy Priorities."  "Priorities Reflect Calls to Simplify Sentencing, Reduce the Costs of Unnecessary Incarceration, and Promote Public Safety."  And here is the full text of the email:

Each year, the bipartisan U.S. Sentencing Commission votes to adopt priorities that will guide its annual policymaking process.  This summer, the Commission solicited priorities from the public, asking how the agency can improve federal sentencing.  In response, the Commission received more than 1,200 pages of insightful comments from judges, members of Congress, executive branch officials, probation officers, advisory groups, attorneys, professors, advocates, organizations, incarcerated individuals, and others.

Today, the Commission voted unanimously to commit to prioritize one or more of the clear themes that emerged from the comments it has received, which included:

Simplifying the federal Sentencing Guidelines and clarifying their role in sentencing. This includes revision of the “categorical approach” for purposes of the career offender guideline and possibly amending the Guidelines Manual to address the three-step process and the use of departures and policy statements relating to specific personal characteristics:

Reducing the costs of unnecessary incarceration;

Promoting public safety;

Improving community supervision;

Expanding the Commission’s use of expertise, evidence, and best practices; and

Promoting evidence-based approaches to offense and individual characteristics. Read the full list of priorities.

“Today’s vote proves one thing: when you speak to the Commission, you will be heard,” said Judge Carlton W. Reeves, Chairman of the Commission. “Our final priorities will allow us to give each public comment the attention it deserves. This is the first step in translating the public’s priorities into policies that improve federal sentencing. As we move forward, we will continue to seek out and obtain guidance from the public and stakeholders across the criminal justice system.” Watch a recording of today's meeting.