WASHINGTON, D.C. – FWD.us Executive Director Zoë Towns issued the following statement today as the United States Sentencing Commission’s vital changes to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines go into effect:

“FWD.us is very proud to have advocated in support of the critical changes to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines that went into effect today. These life-changing amendments will be felt by tens of thousands of people serving time in federal prisons who will have the opportunity to return home earlier to their families and communities. These kinds of tested, evidence-based policy goals are necessary and reachable. Democrats and Republicans alike have advanced similar reforms in states across the country to secure the many benefits of reduced incarceration without compromising public safety. It’s wonderful to see this progress at the federal level where sentencing reform has been stalled for years.

“We applaud Judge Carlton Reeves and the Sentencing Commission for their leadership and diligence as well as the impacted advocates, organizations such as Families Against Mandatory Minimums, the Federal and Community Defenders, the Brennan Center for Justice, and many others who submitted testimony in support.”

Background:

To learn more about the newly enacted USSC Federal Sentencing Guidelines, read FWD.us’ new blog post here. Among the recently adopted changes are two evidence-based and urgently-needed amendments that will help curb long federal prison sentences, the Compassionate Release Amendment and the prospective and retroactive application of the Criminal History Amendments. Both reforms help reduce long federal prison terms, promote fairness and equity, and reduce racial disparities in federal sentencing.