A bill that would bestow clemency powers to judges so they could years later decide to reduce sentences for violent offenders, even if the facts of a case have not changed, was pre-filed for the upcoming session of the Washington State Legislature, the Post Millennial reported Tuesday.
One of the sponsors of the legislation, called the Judicial Discretion Act, is Democrat Rep. Tarra Simmons, a former convict.
Simmons, also the co-founder and director of the Civil Survival Project, which advocates for former convicts, has in the past worked to restore voting rights to convicted felons.
She has also promoted the reduction of sentences for dive-by shootings in order to promote "racial equality," even as the state has suffered through a sharp increase in crime, including a record number of homicides.
The proposed Judicial Discretion Act states that "the legislature finds that long-term incarceration disproportionately impacts poor communities and communities of color ... [and] that lengthy sentences can increase, rather than reduce, recidivism."
In addition, the legislature finds that "the potential to reduce a sentence encourages incarcerated individuals to engage in good behavior and to take advantage of rehabilitative programming ... [and] that because the cost of long-term incarceration is substantial and the state must use its resources responsibly, providing judges the opportunity to modify lengthy sentences in the interests of justice will result in significant cost savings to the state."
Another part of the proposal is that the court not permit any person to waive the right to petition for a reduced sentence.
The bill also states that the only recourse that a victim or their family might have would be to "present a statement personally or by representation at the hearing."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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