Donald Trump signed the First Step Act
This act reformed some sentencing laws, including mandatory-minimum sentences, and gave judges more discretion over low-level drug offences. Trump is responsible for this piece of criminal justice legislation that will benefit Americans.
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The Argument
In 2018, Trump signed the First Step Act into law, a bipartisan piece of criminal justice reform. The Act shortened mandatory minimum sentences for some offences, including narrowing the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentencing.[1] It also allowed prisoners to earn time off their sentence through good conduct, as well as allowing the relocation of prisoners closer to home and introduced other measures which ease re-entry to society.[2] The Act allowed judges to exercise greater discretion over sentencing for some offences and improved condition for pregnant prisoners.[1]
The Act led to the release of over 3,000 prisoners in July 2019 for good conduct and 3,000 prisoners had their sentences shortened.[3] The Act was endorsed by Republicans and Democrats and is seen as a success from across the political spectrum.
Counter arguments
The First Step Act was a criminal justice reform welcomed from all sides of the political spectrum, but it is wrong to give Trump the credit for it. The Act was largely a product of Republican and Democratic members of Congress, building on efforts to introduce criminal justice reform that began under Obama's presidency.[4]
There is also very little other evidence from Trump's track record that he supports the measures of the First Step Act - his tough on crime stance has often involved calls for harsher sentencing and the return of the death penalty for federal inmates.[5] In 2016, he criticised Obama for releasing prisoners "by the thousands", which is exactly what the Act has done under his administration.
Proponents
Premises
Rejecting the premises
References
- https://www.politico.com/interactives/2020/justice-reform-biden-trump-candidate-policy-positions/
- https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2020/oct/1/trump-v-biden-criminal-justice/
- https://www.newsweek.com/trump-biden-both-have-complicated-records-criminal-justice-reform-1528052
- https://www.vox.com/2020-presidential-election/21418911/donald-trump-crime-criminal-justice-policy-record
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-race-factbox-idUSKBN2681FL