Prison Fellowship works to translate restorative justice principles into policy solutions. Restorative justice is deeply rooted in the concept that each person has intrinsic value and the capacity for change. We believe restorative justice is the key to building a better criminal justice system. To that end, we have defined a restorative justice framework to guide our nation's efforts to reform our ineffective, expensive, and broken criminal justice system, and we support legislation that upholds the principles of our framework.
Policy Solution: CORRECTIONS Act (Corrections Oversight, Recidivism Reduction, and Eliminating Costs for Taxpayers In Our National System Act), S. 467.
Key sponsors: Introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and based on legislation that passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 15-2 vote in 2014. Check out current cosponsors and latest action on this bill.
What it does:
- Expanded Recidivism-Reduction Programming: The legislation requires the Department of Justice to expand recidivism reduction programming, such as drug rehabilitation, education, skills training, faith-based classes, and work programs, for all federal prisoners in partnership with non-profit and faith-based organizations.
- Risk Assessment: The bill requires the Department of Justice to use a risk and needs assessment tool to assign the most effective amount and type of programming to each prisoner and provides incentives for program participation.
- Incentives for Program Completion: All federal prisoners who complete programs are eligible for incentives developed by the Bureau of Prisons, such as increased telephone or visitation privileges. If prisoners reach a moderate or low-risk classification, they may use time credits earned from program completion toward prerelease custody in a residential reentry center, on home confinement, or on community supervision.
- “Swift and Certain” Pilot Program: The bill authorizes U.S. Probation to conduct a pilot program in which individuals with substance-abuse issues are subject to high-intensity community supervision, and swift, predictable and graduated sanctions for breaking program rules. The pilot is modeled after the HOPE Program in Hawaii, which has been highly successful in curtailing participants’ substance abuse.
A summary of the bill is available here and brief description of each section of the bill is available here.
How it Advances Restorative Justice: The CORRECTIONS Act promotes three of our restorative justice values: constructive culture, make amends, and earn trust. It encourages a constructive culture for prisoners by redefining time spent in prison from a period of incapacitation to a crossroads of transformation. The bill provides opportunities to make amends and earn back the public’s trust by expanding programming proven to reduce recidivism in federal prisons.
How you can take action:
Write or email your legislator today and personally request that they pass the CORRECTIONS Act!
Prison Fellowship's Work on the CORRECTIONS Act: Justice Fellowship submitted a letter to Senator Grassley in support of the CORRECTIONS Act. Thank you to all the organizations who joined the letter. View the letter here.