Prison Fellowship®, the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, released the following after the United State Houses Judiciary Committee held a mark up hearing for the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act of 2023 (H.R. 5430). Reintroduced with bipartisan and bicameral support, this legislation would end the current practice in federal court of increasing a defendant’s sentence based on conduct that has previously been acquitted.
“The use of acquitted conduct at sentencing is an unfair practice that erodes trust in our federal justice system and is inconsistent with American values,” said Heather Rice-Minus, President of Prison Fellowship. “Prison Fellowship applauds the bipartisan leadership in both chambers who are working diligently to restore the well-known standard of “innocent until proven guilty.”