California’s ‘three strikes’ law still carries a devastating human and financial cost. End it now
AUG. 12, 2022 – California’s three strikes law has resulted in harsh and unnecessary extreme sentences at great human and financial cost, without making communities safer. In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky argue that the three strikes law is antithetical to justice and explain why the CA Supreme Court must ensure that elected prosecutors maintain discretion to not pursue these enhancements.
“It’s easy to believe that locking people up for longer periods of time makes us safer. But there is no evidence that extreme sentences improve public safety.”
Drug-induced homicide should not result in prison time for those who call for help
AUG. 2, 2022 – Drug-induced-homicide prosecutions involve charging individuals with homicide when they supply drugs that result in a fatal overdose, even if there was no specific intent to kill. DIH prosecutions have become more common in recent years despite evidence that they are ineffective at reducing overdoses and can in fact exacerbate the harms of this crisis. Read more about why prosecutors should instead embrace a harm reduction approach in this USA Today op-ed by Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky, and Northeastern University School of Law’s Health in Justice Action Lab Faculty Director Leo Beletsky.
“As long as [drug-induced homicide] laws are still on the books, elected prosecutors have the power to choose a different paradigm. They can embrace a public health response and harm reduction approaches over punitive carceral responses.”
Memo to prosecutors: Visit your local prison
JULY 15, 2022 – Elected prosecutors hold immense power over who is sent to prison and for how long, yet many have never visited a correctional facility. In this op-ed in The Crime Report, Nueces County, TX District Attorney Mark Gonzalez, Portsmouth, VA Commonwealth Attorney Stephanie Morales, and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explain why every prosecutor should #VisitAPrison and see firsthand the harsh reality of mass incarceration.
“Perhaps if more prosecutors understood the inhumane and dangerous conditions of jails and prisons – and invested in understanding the people living in these facilities – they would think twice about alternatives before asking to send human beings to these facilities, removing them from supports in their community.”
What the U.S. can learn from Germany on youth justice
JUNE 16, 2022 – The United States is the only country in the world to condemn children to life without parole, and in many states, there is no minimum age for the prosecution of kids. In comparison, Germany’s justice system treats children like children, focusing on rehabilitation instead of punishment. In this op-ed in Marketwatch, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explains why we should be following Germany’s lead in how our legal system treats children.
“Germany’s juvenile justice system can and should inspire us to want more for America’s children, who deserve to be treated as kids and given the support they need to thrive rather than be saddled with trauma and burdens that can last a lifetime.”
Setting the record straight after the SF recall: Voters still support reform
JUNE 13, 2022 – The recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was fueled by a deep-pocketed special interest campaign that preyed on the fears and anxieties people felt in the wake of an unprecedented pandemic that disrupted lives and created tremendous challenges. FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky explains in an op-ed in The Crime Report why this singular outcome should not be interpreted as a sign that voters are rejecting common-sense criminal justice reforms and recounts the many results nationwide underscoring that momentum for change remains strong.
“While what happened in San Francisco is disappointing to those seeking to advance change, it does not signal the end of this movement. Instead, it underscores its success and the resulting threat it poses to the status quo. And that should motivate all who seek a more just criminal legal system to fight back; these changes are just getting started.”