Web Resources: “Smart on Crime”

I don’t know if the current momentum for criminal justice reform will translate into legislative results, but hey, at least we’re getting some handy websites out of it. First there was Right on Crime, and now there’s Smart on Crime — a website compiling federal policy recommendations related to all facets of criminal justice reform, put together by a coalition of organizations ranging from the ACLU and NACDL to the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute. The site is organized around issues, with each section including an overview of the problem, a list of reform recommendations, and contact info for leading experts on the subject, so it’s a handy resource even if you’re not the target audience of “the Administration and Congress.”

Anyway, the section on Prison Reform takes up some issues close to this blog’s heart — including the Prison Litigation Reform Act (which I’ve written about here). Here’s a summary of Smart on Crime’s recommendations on prison policy:

• Fully implement the Prison Rape Elimination Act
• Address the problems created by the Prison Litigation Reform Act
• Build transparency and accountability in corrections
• Reduce recidivism and increase effective rehabilitation
• Reduce the use of long-term isolation and design effective alternatives
• Design an evidence-based approach to criminal justice

Advertisement