Right on Crime
Right on Crime is a U.S. criminal justice reform initiative that aims to gain support for criminal justice reforms within the American conservative movement by sharing research and policy ideas, mobilizing conservative leaders, and by raising public awareness.[1][2] Right On Crime reforms are focused on “reducing crime, lowering costs and restoring victims.” The initiative primarily focuses on eight issues: over-criminalization, juvenile justice, substance abuse, adult probation, parole and re-entry, law enforcement, prisons and victims. Right on Crime is a project of the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank.[3]
Background
The Right on Crime initiative began its public affairs campaign in December 2010, in Washington, D.C.[4] According to a January 2011 article in the Washington Post by former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former California Speaker of the House Pat Nolan, “The Right on Crime Campaign represents a seismic shift in the legislative landscape. And it opens the way for a common-sense left-right agreement on an issue that has kept the parties apart for decades.”[5] The New York Times’ Charlie Savage noted the conservative movement’s growing support for Right on Crime in a Times editorial in October 2011, writing “The [corrections overhaul] movement has attracted the support of several prominent conservatives, including Edwin R. Meese III, the attorney general during the Reagan administration. He is part of a campaign, called ‘Right on Crime,’ which was begun last December to lend weight to what it calls the ‘conservative case for reform.’”[6]
Beginning in 2011, Right on Crime expanded its campaign into individual states, including Texas,[7] Georgia,[8] Oklahoma[9] and Florida. The Los Angeles Times explained the initiative is “setting the pace in states such as Texas,” in a November 2011 editorial.[10]
In 2014, the BBC reported that in Texas, rather than building new prisons, Right on Crime has led to the closure of three prisons.[11]
Statement of Principles signatories
Right On Crime’s Statement of Principles has been signed by the following individuals:
- David Barton, WallBuilders
- William J. Bennett, former Secretary of Education and Federal “Drug Czar”
- Allan Bense, former Speaker of the Florida House
- Matthew Brouillette, Commonwealth Foundation (PA)
- Jeb Bush,[12][13] Former Governor of Florida
- Chuck Colson,[14] Prison Fellowship Ministries
- Ward Connerly, American Civil Rights Institute and former Regent of University of California
- Craig DeRoche,[15] former Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
- John J. DiIulio, Jr., University of Pennsylvania
- Viet Dinh, Georgetown University Law Center and former U.S. Assistant Attorney General
- Richard Doran, former Florida Attorney General
- Newt Gingrich,[16] American Solutions for Winning the Future
- B. Wayne Hughes, Jr., Businessman/philanthropist
- Asa Hutchinson,[17] former U.S. Attorney and Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
- Henry Juszkiewicz,[18] CEO of Gibson Guitar
- David Keene, American Conservative Union
- George Kelling, Manhattan Institute
- Rabbi Daniel Lapin, American Alliance of Jews and Christians
- Edwin Meese III,[17] former U.S. Attorney General
- B.J. Nikkel, former Republican House Majority Whip, Colorado House of Representatives
- Pat Nolan,[16] Justice Fellowship
- Grover Norquist,[17] Americans for Tax Reform
- Tony Perkins, Family Research Council
- Ralph Reed, Founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition
- Brooke Rollins,[19] Texas Public Policy Foundation
- Tom Slade, former Chairman of the Florida Republican Party
- Larry Thompson, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General
- Richard Viguerie, ConservativeHQ.com
- J. C. Watts, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District
- Joe Whitley, former Acting U.S. Associate Attorney General and U.S. Attorney
References
- ↑ Altman, Alex (June 23, 2015). "Bipartisan Push for Criminal Justice Reform Sets Its Agenda". Time. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- ↑ Bauer, Shane (March 2014). "How Conservatives Learned to Love Prison Reform". Mother Jones. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- ↑ Lu, Rachel (February 3, 2015). "How Conservatives Are Getting Right On Crime". The Federalist. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
- ↑ Gritsforbreakfast (2010-12-13). "Grits for Breakfast: TPPF launches 'Right on Crime' campaign". Gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ↑ Newt Gingrich (7 January 2011). "Prison reform: A smart way for states to save money and lives". Washington Post.
- ↑ Charlie Savage (12 August 2011). "Trend to Lighten Harsh Sentences Catches On in Conservative States". New York Times.
- ↑ "Right on Crime launches Texas drive". Austin Statesman. 16 February 2011.
- ↑ "Right on Crime Launches Criminal Justice Reform Initiative Today in Georgia". Georgia Public Policy Foundation. 29 September 2011.
- ↑ "Right on Crime launches Oklahoma effort with Blue Room conference". Capitolbeatok.com. 2011-03-15. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ↑ "Prison realignment done right". Los Angeles Times. 13 November 2011.
- ↑ "Why Texas is closing prisons in favour of rehab". BBC. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ↑ "Jeb Bush Signs Right On Crime Statement of Principles (press release)". Reuters.
- ↑ "Statement of Principles". Right on Crime. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ↑ Gritsforbreakfast (2012-04-22). "Grits for Breakfast: Chuck Colson, RIP". Gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ↑ Pat Shellenbarger (2012-03-06). "Bridge • The Center for Michigan : With a sober eye, a conservative reconsiders". Bridge Magazine. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- 1 2 Newt Gingrich and Pat Nolan (2011-01-07). "Prison reform: A smart way for states to save money and lives". Washington Post. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- 1 2 3 "The Smart Way to Get Tough on Crime (Spring 2011 Trust Magazine Article) -". The Pew Charitable Trusts. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ↑ Juszkiewicz, Henry (2012-07-19). "Henry Juszkiewicz: Gibson's Fight Against Criminalizing Capitalism". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ↑ Gramm, Wendy (2012-05-15). "Wendy Gramm and Brooke Rollins: Why the Left Wants to Blacklist ALEC - WSJ.com". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-12-23.