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June 22, 2007

Any reports from the DC Crime Summit (or Rita reactions)?

As discussed here and here and here, Representative Bobby Scott, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, has been leading a "Summit on Crime Policy" over the last two days.  Entitled "Violent Crime — Prevention and Solutions from the Experts,"  the summit brought together more than three dozen leading voices from a broad array of organizations, (although absent was anyone from the Justice Department).

I would be grateful if any reader who attended might report on the event.  I am especially eager to know if there was any discussion of possible inside-the-Beltway reactions to Rita (from Congress or DOJ).

UPDATE:  A kind reader sent in this terrific report from the Sentencing Lawapalooza:

I attended two of the four panels at Bobby Scott's crime summit, and from what I saw, it was great.  A few of the panelists mentioned Rita, but not in depth.  Even Lisa Rich, the panelist from the Sentencing Commission, focused on other issues - namely, the crack/cocaine disparity.  And I wouldn't worry about the absence of the DoJ: Scott framed the summit as a way for him to get ideas for new legislation, and since most of the panelists proposed reining in the DoJ and reducing the federalization of crime, I doubt the DoJ would have added much to the conversation....

Anyway, it was interesting to hear what issues are at the top of the advocates' agendas, and Scott and Conyers seemed enthusiastic.  Many people expressed interest in getting copies of the panelists' testimony, and it sounded like Scott's staff was trying to figure out a way to make it available to the public.

June 22, 2007 at 04:12 PM | Permalink

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Comments

The DoJ was too busy.

Gonzales wants protection from mentally ill

Posted by: George | Jun 22, 2007 7:24:11 PM

Oops, sorry. Bad link.

Gonzales wants protection from mentally ill

Posted by: George | Jun 22, 2007 10:19:06 PM

I was indeed at the Summit on Crime Policy, or 3/4 of it. The presentations are probably better for reading than listening. Picture 40 presenters, sitting high above the audience in the House Judiciary Committee room where the Congresspersons sit, with five minutes each. Listening was numbing but reading is rewarding.
But absent were any Republican members, and all but three Democrats. Also, nothing in the Washington Post the next day. There were strong, researched based arguments for prevention, against over-incarceration, and for treatment. One speaker said what is needed is the "will" to legislate in those directions. I think what is needed is a coherent strategy. That is what is missing.
I must succumb to the cliche: it was preaching to the choir. How do we get the sinners into the church? Maybe more politics and less preaching (but the preaching lays the intellectual foundation for the politics).

Posted by: Michael Israel | Jun 23, 2007 10:16:58 AM

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