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President Trump Signs First Step Act Into Law—It’s a Good Initial Attempt at Meaningful Reform
Loaded on Jan. 17, 2019
by Chad Marks
published in Criminal Legal News
February, 2019, page 14
Filed under:
Criminal justice system reform,
Rehabilitation/Recidivism.
Location:
United States of America.
by Chad Marks
In December 2018, President Trump signed the bipartisan First Step Act into law. It’s the most substantial change in a generation to the tough-on-crime prison and sentencing laws that have cost taxpayers billions of dollars and destroyed countless families, sending many non-violent offenders to prison for decades ...
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Race-Based Arrests Rampant in San Francisco, by Kevin Bliss
- Tracking the Prevalence of Police Crime, by David Reutter
- Former Balch Springs, Texas, Officer Found Guilty of Murder of Black Teen, by Kevin Bliss
- Massachusetts Drug Lab Scandal: Thousands More Cases Likely Affected, by Kevin Bliss
- $225,000 Settlement by Detroit for Unjustified Shooting of Dogs in Drug Case, by Derek Gilna
- Why Defining a ‘Credible Witness’ in Criminal Trials Is a Slippery Slope, by Steve Horn
- Illinois Law on Informants Designed to Avoid Wrongful Convictions, by Betty Nelander
- ‘Innocent Man Almost Executed’ Freed After Decade on Death Row, by Betty Nelander
- Washington Governor Expects to Pardon About 3,500 for Single Misdemeanor Pot Convictions, by Betty Nelander
- Police Commit Significant Number of Sex Crimes, Which May Shock the General Public but Not Those Familiar with Law Enforcement, by Kevin Bliss
- Juror Bias Often Triggered by Severity of Crime Charged, by Edward Lyon
- Investigation and Arrest of Mail Bomb Suspect Rips Cover Off Postal Surveillance, by Derek Gilna
- Campus Cops on Municipal Streets Raises Transparency and Accountability Concerns, by Virginia Griese
- Louisiana Ends Jim Crow-era Law: Unanimous Jury Requirement Now in Constitution, by Virginia Griese
- ‘Texas Reneging on Deal’ With Draconian Sex Offender Registry, but Some Are Fighting Back, by Edward Lyon
- Montana Supreme Court: Retrial Following Mistrial Declared Without ‘Manifest Necessity’ Violates Prohibition on Double Jeopardy, by Mark Wilson
- U.S. Senator Sounds Alarm on Privacy, Public Safety Concerns of Cell-Site Simulators, by Derek Gilna
- DEA Agents Trap Cocaine-Trafficking Suspects with Doctored Blackberrys, by Derek Gilna
- Federal Judge Signals That Defense Counsel Will Be Permitted To Argue Jury Nullification in Questionable Child Porn Prosecution, by Chad Marks
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Rules Defense Attorney Violated McCoy, Reverses Capital Convictions and Orders New Trial, by Chad Marks
- Nevada Supreme Court Reverses Convictions Where Trial Court Failed to Conduct Third Step of Batson Challenge, by Chad Marks
- Sixth Circuit: Tennessee Aggravated Sexual Battery Is Not a SORNA Tier III Offense, by Christopher Zoukis
- Georgia Supreme Court: Asportation Required to Support Kidnapping Conviction, by David Reutter
- Montana Supreme Court Overrules Its Precedents Confusing Venue and Jurisdiction, Announces Venue Is Waivable But Cannot Waive Jurisdiction, by Dale Chappell
- California Court of Appeal: Commissioner Cannot Preside Over Parole Revocation Hearing Absent Stipulation, by Douglas Ankney
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Attempt to Close Door in Officer’s Face Clear Signal that Consent Not Given for Warrantless Entry, by Douglas Ankney
- Report: Bitemark Analysis Debunked as Pseudoscience, by Richard Resch
- Montana Supreme Court: City May Not Impose Local Surcharge Not Authorized by State Law for Violation of State Criminal Statute, by Derek Gilna
- Sixth Circuit Holds Tennessee Burglary Not Violent Felony Under ACCA, Overturning Previous Controlling Authority in Light of SCOTUS’ Mathis Opinion, by Dale Chappell
- Maine Supreme Court Rules Double Jeopardy Bars Re-Use of Evidence at Second Trial After Acquittal Based on Same Evidence at First Trial on Different Charges, by Dale Chappell
- West Virginia Supreme Court Vacates Sentence After State Violates Plea Bargain by Making Recommendation at Sentencing, by Matthew Clarke
- Tenth Circuit Clarifies Proper Test for Pretrial Hearing on Seized Assets Needed to Retain Counsel, by Matthew Clarke
- Public Support for Militarized Policing Ebbs, Fails to Improve Safety, by Edward Lyon
- Minnesota Supreme Court Clarifies Rule Against Judicial ‘Participation’ in Plea Negotiations, by Dale Chappell
- Study Shows Reassigning Problem Cops Could Have Saved Chicago More than $6 Million in Lawsuit Payouts, by Dale Chappell
- Washington Supreme Court Announces Effective Date of Certificate of Discharge Is Date Offender Completes All Sentence Requirements, by Chad Marks
- Fourth Circuit Vacates USSG Career Offender Sentence Predicated on Georgia Robbery, by Christopher Zoukis
- Iowa Supreme Court Announces New SOL Rule for Consecutive Postconviction IAC Claims, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit Remands Drug Case for Reconsideration of Sentencing Guidelines’ Minor-Role Adjustment, by Christopher Zoukis
- N.Y. Court of Appeals Announces When Trial Commences for Timeliness of Pro Se Requests, by Edward Lyon
- President Trump Signs First Step Act Into Law—It’s a Good Initial Attempt at Meaningful Reform, by Chad Marks
- South Carolina Supreme Court Holds Broken Chain of Custody for Drug Evidence Requires Reversal of Conviction, by Dale Chappell
- America’s Cities Are Criminalizing Homelessness, by Matthew Clarke
- Habeas Hints: SCOTUS Review 2017-18, by Tara Hoveland, Kent Russell
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds Defendant Unambiguously Invoked Right to Remain Silent Suppresses Confession and Derivative Physical Evidence and Announces New Rule, by Chad Marks
- Capital Punishment in the United States: Explained, by Callie Heller, Jessica Brand
More from Chad Marks:
- Use of Solitary Confinement During Pandemic Detrimental To Prisoners and Not Slowing Spread of COVID-19, May 1, 2021
- COVID-19 Inspired Ban on Prison Visits in Texas Ends, April 1, 2021
- Sequel: Three Additional Federal Executions Before Trump Left Office, March 1, 2021
- Connecticut: Summary Judgment Denied in Deliberate Indifference Case Where Facial Lesion Turned Out To Be Skin Cancer, Nov. 1, 2020
- Ford Foundation President’s Support to Replace Rikers With Other Jails Criticized, Oct. 1, 2020
- Wisconsin: Court Dismisses Prisoners’ Suit Over Asbestos, Mold on Procedural Grounds, Sept. 1, 2020
- New Jersey: Commission Recommends State Take 100 Steps to Improve Re-Entry for Ex-Prisoners, Sept. 1, 2020
- New York: Prisoner Kills Himself After Brutal Beating by Guards, Aug. 1, 2020
- Jury Award $700,000 to Maryland Prisoner Assaulted by Guards, Aug. 1, 2020
- Is the Death Penalty Slowly Dying Across the Nation?, June 15, 2020
More from these topics:
- Washington DOC On Hot Seat Over “Unexpected Fatalities,” Missed Autopsies, May 1, 2025. Criminal justice system reform, Systemic Medical Neglect, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Medical Neglect/Malpractice, False Statements/Perjury.
- Nearly 150 Exonerations in 2024 Highlight Persistent Flaws in U.S. Criminal Justice System, April 15, 2025. Criminal justice system reform, Wrongful Conviction.
- Nebraska Pioneers Diversion Program to Help Arrested Veterans Avoid Jail, Jan. 15, 2025. Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Rehabilitation Act, Veterans.
- PPI Releases 10th Anniversary Report on Mass Incarceration in the U.S., Nov. 15, 2024. Prison Reform, Criminal justice system reform, Effects of Mass Incarceration.
- Nailing Down “Top Cop” Kamala Harris on Criminal Justice Reform, Oct. 15, 2024. Criminal justice system reform.
- Study Finds That Black Americans Want Both Police Presence and Reform: Looking Beyond the Headlines, Oct. 1, 2024. Criminal justice system reform, Police, Racial Profiling.
- Bruce Johnson 1950–2024, Sept. 15, 2024. Editorials, Criminal justice system reform, Attorneys.
- Massachusetts Prison Closure Reflects Success of Criminal Justice Reforms, Aug. 15, 2024. Criminal justice system reform, Rural Prisons.
- BOP Hires Sentencing Reform Advocate, July 1, 2024. Criminal justice system reform, Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
- North Carolina’s Largest City Elects First Ex-Prisoner to Council, July 1, 2024. Elections, Rehabilitation/Recidivism.