Senators Durbin and Grassley introduce again set of FIRST STEP follow-up bills

For a wide variety of reasons, I am not at all hopeful that any form of federal sentencing reform will be enacted in the current Congress.  But I was still pleased to learn today, thanks to an email from a helpful reader, that a pair of notable Senators are still seeking to advance some notable (previously stalled) sentencing bills.  This press release, headlined "Durbin, Grassley Reintroduce Criminal Justice Reform Bills," discusses the bills, and here is how it starts:

U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the lead sponsors of the landmark First Step Act (FSA), reintroduced three pieces of criminal justice reform legislation today to further implement the FSA and advance its goals.  The First Step Act, which was signed into law in 2018, is bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation designed to make our justice system fairer and our communities safer by reforming sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to reenter society successfully.  Today, Durbin and Grassley reintroduced the First Step Implementation Act, the Safer Detention Act, and the Terry Technical Correction Act.

“In 2018, Congress came together to pass the most important criminal justice reform law in a generation,” Durbin said.  “But as its name suggests, it was just the first step.  In order to keep making our justice system fairer and our communities safer, we must continue reforming our antiquated and outdated sentencing laws and providing opportunities for those who are incarcerated to prepare to reenter society successfully.  Senator Grassley and I will continue to work together to ensure that these goals are fully met.”

“Criminals need to face just penalties, and our system should seek to prevent recidivism.  Our work on the First Step Act did that, and our new package of bills will further the goals of fairness, public safety and reduced crime.  The programs we are bolstering aim to help make inmates productive citizens when they reenter society, and not fall back into a life of crime.  I appreciate my longtime cooperation with Senator Durbin, and look forward to the work ahead,” Grassley said.