Investigation of Criminal Justice Reform
Creating a More Just Criminal Justice System: Ranking Member Cummings is a leader in Congress's bicameral, bipartisan movement to make our nation's criminal justice system fairer and more just.
In December 2014, following the tragic deaths of unarmed African-Americans at the hands of police, Ranking Members Cummings, Conyers, and Thompson requested "a series of hearings to examine the Federal response to the multiple, complex issues" raised by their deaths.
For Cummings, these issues took on even more urgency after the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 19, 2015, and the subsequent unrest the city endured. He has examined and proposed solutions for reforming the criminal justice system , from repairing the relationship between the public and law enforcement; to changing how people enter the system, how they are treated while they are in it, and how they reenter society after incarceration; to addressing deeply-rooted inequalities in access to housing, employment, and education.
Five Things You Should Know:
Ranking Member Cummings is a leader in Congress's bicameral, bipartisan movement to make our nation's criminal justice system fairer and more just.
In December 2014, following the tragic deaths of unarmed African-Americans at the hands of police, Ranking Members Cummings, Conyers, and Thompson requested "a series of hearings to examine the Federal response to the multiple, complex issues" raised by their deaths.
For Cummings, these issues took on even more urgency after the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore on April 19, 2015, and the subsequent unrest the city endured. He has examined and proposed solutions for reforming the criminal justice system , from repairing the relationship between the public and law enforcement; to changing how people enter the system, how they are treated while they are in it, and how they reenter society after incarceration; to addressing deeply-rooted inequalities in access to housing, employment, and education.
1. The United States has 5% of the world's population, but almost 25% of the world's prison population—the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world.
2. In September 2015, Ranking Member Cummings introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Fair Chance Act, which would give formerly incarcerated people a fairer chance at securing employment by prohibiting federal employers and contractors from asking about the criminal history of a job applicant until an applicant receives a conditional offer of employment.
3. At the request of Ranking Member Cummings, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a series of bipartisan hearings in July 2015 to fully explore criminal justice reform proposals at the federal and state levels and evaluate steps Congress can take to address over-criminalization, over-sentencing, and recidivism, all while reducing the amount of money spent on prisons.
4. Ranking Member Cummings has cosponsored bipartisan legislation to improve the criminal justice system, including the SAFE Justice Act, the End Racial Profiling Act, the Police CAMERA Act, the Youth PROMISE Act, the REDEEM Act, the Smarter Sentencing Act, and others.
5. Ranking Member Cummings urged the Department of Justice to conduct civil rights and criminal investigations, including a "pattern or practice" investigation into the Baltimore Police Department to better understand how the Department can be improved.
Quick Links:
Press Releases:
Cummings, Conyers, and Thompson Request In-Depth Hearings into Garner, Brown, and Other Deaths
Cummings Issues Statement on Staff Walk Out in Wake of Garner, Brown, and Other Deaths
Cummings, Conyers, and Thompson Issue Statement Renewing Call for Police Reform Hearings
Cummings Speaks at Bipartisan Summit on Criminal Justice Reform
Cummings to Host Panel Discussion on Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform at Howard University
THIS WEEK: Oversight Committee to Hold Hearings Requested by Cummings on Criminal Justice Reforms
Previous Hearings:
Full Committee Hearing entitled, "Criminal Justice Reform, Part 1"
Full Committee Hearing entitled, "Criminal Justice Reform, Part 2"