“Federal policymakers have rejected evidence-based criminal justice reforms backed by decades of data that would have addressed the harms of mass incarceration and reduced racial disparities while making D.C. safer.

“D.C.’s 700,000 residents deserve true public safety solutions, but unfortunately, ongoing fearmongering and misinformation have plagued this debate at the expense of much-needed, commonsense reforms that would have protected D.C. communities. The RCCA is based on a 16-year process of extensive research and consultation with law enforcement, academics, advocates, public officials, residents, and many others – and it would have helped safely reduce incarceration while advancing public safety in D.C.

“It’s extremely disappointing to see our federal leaders disregard meaningful criminal justice reforms, including eliminating mandatory minimums and creating pathways to reevaluate unduly long sentences, which were core components of the RCCA.”

Read more here: The District deserves a Modern Criminal Code: The Revised Criminal Code Act