June 2024 Newsletter

This spring, LEL has been busy with several events (virtual and in-person) promoting our twin goals of advancing criminal justice reform and protecting public safety. We hosted our first in-person meeting since before the pandemic. We also continued to work with partners to advance key advocacy priorities at both the state level and nationally.

EVENTS

Brennan Center Live: Misdemeanors by the Numbers (April 11, 2024)

LEL Senior Counsel Ruby Nidiry moderated this joint LEL and Brennan Center for Justice “Brennan Center Live” virtual event, featuring LEL’s Sheriff Jerry Clayton of Washtenaw County (MI), Dr. Josephine Hahn of the Brennan Center’s Justice Program, and Bria Gillum of the MacArthur Foundation, discussing a new groundbreaking Brennan Center report on misdemeanor enforcement in New York City and effective alternatives to punitive enforcement.

Addressing Misdemeanor Enforcement and Racial Disparities: Lessons Learned and Recommendations, MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge Convening (May 9, 2024)

Representatives from the offices of LEL members Milwaukee (WI) District Attorney John Chisholm, Brooklyn (NY) District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, and Middlesex County (MA) Sheriff Peter Koutoujian joined the Brennan Center’s Dr. Hahn on a panel moderated by Ruby, at the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge national convening in Houston, Texas. The discussion focused on the best law enforcement practices in responding to misdemeanors and successes and challenges in implementing innovative programs in their jurisdictions.

Spring 2024 LEL Convening (May 21, 2024)

Our in-person meeting in New York in May was a huge success. We expect that this will be the first in a series of small gatherings of members in the coming months. Here are some highlights:

Opening Remarks & Introductions Representatives from the Brennan Center and LEL’s Executive Director Ron Serpas emphasized the unique role of LEL in bringing together diverse law enforcement leadership backgrounds and views all united in a shared commitment to reduce incarceration and advance public safety.

LEL’s Mission and Impact – Reflections from LEL Leadership Former LEL Senior Counsel Taryn Merkl, now a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of New York, joined Ron for a reflection on the history and background of LEL, highlighting its important contributions to successful advocacy efforts over the years.

Law Enforcement’s Role in Supporting Justice Reform Today – A Conversationwith Allies Ruby moderated this panel featuring advocacy partners we work with – Mar ia Goellner, State Policy Director at FAMM; Richard Hahn, Senior Policy Analyst in Criminal Justice at the Niskanen Center; Kandia Milton, Government Affairs Director at Dream.org; and Kevin Ring, Vice President for Criminal Justice Advocacy at Arnold Ventures. In a lively conversation, they shared their current legislative priorities, opportunities for collaboration, and the important role that law enforcement can play to advance policy change amid a challenging landscape for reform.

Spotlighting Member Innovations Reducing Incarceration & Enhancing Safety Three LEL members – Sheriff Clayton, DA Gonzalez, and Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Corrections Paul Schnell – discussed innovations that they are spearheading in their jurisdictions.

Planning for 2024 and Beyond Ruby and Policy Associate Jessie Brenner previewed some of our upcoming plans, including a new website that will launch in the coming months. Attendees also participated in breakout groups to brainstorm LEL’s priorities and strategies to enhance our impact.

ADVOCACY

At the request of several partners, we have engaged in numerous advocacy efforts over the past few months.

In March, working with the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), LEL sent a letter to the Senate and House Agricultural Committees urging the inclusion of the RESTORE Act in the 2024 farm bill. This provision would repeal the lifetime ban on individuals convicted of a drug felony from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

In April, as part of its support for the No Price on Justice campaign, which seeks to end predatory fines and fees to find more equitable ways to fund our government, and in coordination with the Fines and Fees Justice Center, LEL sent a letter calling for the End Predatory Court Fees Act to be included in New York’s state budget. The letter, addressed to leadership of the New York State Senate and Assembly as well as the Governor’s office, noted that predatory court fines and fees drains significant time and resources that could otherwise be directed toward public safety efforts and fails to generate meaningful revenue.

Also in April, LEL endorsed two FY25 appropriation bills that would fund the Department of Labor’s Reentry Employment Opportunities program and grant programs to help identify, address, and prevent wrongful convictions.

LEL also organized a letter, in collaboration with Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) and the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), calling on the Senate to oppose S.J. Res 47, a resolution by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would reverse releases on home confinement authorized in 2020 under the CARES Act, potentially sending approximately 3,000 individuals back to prison. The letter garnered signatures from 91 current and former law enforcement leaders across the country and was sent to all members of the Senate.

Also, in April, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency announced a proposed rule to reschedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. Several LEL members joined a letter earlier this year urging this rescheduling, contributing to this significant milestone.

LOCAL EFFORTS BY MEMBERS

In their respective jurisdictions, LEL members continue to advocate for and lead the implementation of a wide array of innovative criminal justice strategies that enhance public safety and foster stronger community relationships. Here are some notable highlights:

Advancing Youth Justice

Thirty gang-affiliated youth graduated from Project Restore, a year-long anti-violence program spearheaded by Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez that provides wrap-around services including mentorship, targeted education, job opportunities, and community support.
Hennepin County (MN) leaders including Sheriff Dawanna Witt created the Legislative Working Group on Youth Interventions to overhaul Minnesota’s juvenile justice system by increasing staff, fostering better relationships between corrections and therapeutic systems, and creating a holistic system for juveniles to access treatment and services.

Working with the Community

DA Gonzalez spoke about the importance of community engagement and restorative justice at the National Action Network’s annual conference.
The San Francisco (CA) Police Department led by Police Chief William Scott reached a historic milestone submitting its final responses to the California Department of Justice as part of a multi-year police reform effort to rebuild trust with communities, which began in 2016.

Enhancing Public Safety & Reducing Crime

As part of a joint effort to combat violent crime, Jackson County (MO) Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker along with other Kansas City leaders is working with community members to implement “focused deterrence” policies, through which they will locate and offer support services to at-risk individuals.
Maine Department of Corrections Commissioner Randall Liberty is redefining what it means to serve a successful prison sentence by providing access to medication-assisted treatment for substance use, expanded programming and vocational opportunities, and overhauling the solitary confinement unit. The Maine State Prison has since seen a dramatic decline in assaults on correctional officers.
A collaborative violent crime reduction plan between the San Antonio (TX) Police Department led by Chief William McManus and the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice has led to a 7% reduction in violent crime after one year of implementation.

Addressing Inequities within the Criminal Justice System

Dane County (WI) Sheriff Kalvin Barrett is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Justice to establish the county’s first-ever written policy to enhance communication and response strategies for incidents involving individuals with limited English proficiency.
Salt Lake County (UT) District Attorney Sim Gill directed a public awareness campaign in April trying to break the stigma around reporting sexual violence, acknowledging that historically sexual violence survivors have been treated poorly in the criminal justice system.
Former NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion Tracie Keesee is serving as an expert on the International Independent Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice Equity in the Context of Law Enforcement. In this role, she is visiting Italy to develop steps to ensure access to justice, accountability, and redress for excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officials against Africans and people of African descent.
Denver (CO) District Attorney Beth McCann was celebrated alongside Assistant District Attorney Maggie Conboy and Chief Deputy Jane Walsh for paving the way for women in the legal profession.
Santa Clara (CA) District Attorney Jeffrey Rosen is challenging the effects of historic injustice with a groundbreaking move to seek the resentencing of 14 men from his county on death row due to concerns about racial bias in the implementation of the death penalty. DA Rosen said his decision was inspired by his visits to the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum, which traces the history of racial injustice from slavery to lynchings to mass incarceration.

Providing National Leadership

Ramsey County (MN) Attorney John Choi is co-chairing the American Bar Association’s new Prosecutorial Independence Task Force that aims to protect prosecutorial independence while enhancing the public’s understanding of the crucial role prosecutors play in maintaining the integrity of the criminal justice system. He also co-authored a piece providing recommendations on improving backlogged DA’s caseloads around the country.
Middlesex County (MA) Sheriff Peter Koutoujian served as a featured presenter at the 2024 Public Safety Summit at Harvard University to discuss cultivating change and implementing reform through increasing morale and buy-in from staff while simultaneously balancing community expectations and priorities.

SOME RECOMMENDED RESOURCES…

Protect and Redirect: America’s Growing Movement to Divert Youth Out of the Justice System, The Sentencing Project (March 2024) — Highlights promising reforms implemented in 23 states and 8 localities across the country aimed at using diversion programs as alternatives to arrest and formal prosecution for juveniles.

How Four States Are Using Their Opioid Settlement Dollars, Safer Cities (April 2024) — Explores how four states are allocating their opioid settlement dollars, focusing on initiatives such as mobile opioid treatment teams, quick response teams, addiction stabilization centers, and expanded access to addiction services.

Pushing Toward Parity, Council on Criminal Justice (April 2024) — Assesses the impact of sentencing reform on racial and gender disparities in state imprisonment across 12 states and explores some of the challenges in accurately measuring these disparities.

Policing and Substance Use Resources, Center for Policing Equity (May 2024) — Provides evidence-informed strategies and a community toolkit on policing approaches to substance use that utilizes a public health response as part of their ongoing Redesigning Public Safety Resources series.