Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Press Release: LEAP ED Neill Franklin Part of Law Enforcement Leaders, Top Cops and Prosecutors for Criminal Justice Reform

LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS LAUNCH NEW GROUP

Top Police and Prosecutors Declare Need for Criminal Justice Reform

Washington D.C. – Today, more than 130 top police and prosecutors from all 50 U.S. states, including LEAP executive director Major Neill Franklin (Ret.) are holding a conference to launch a new group, Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration (LELRCI). The group is releasing a report explaining their mission: to reduce crime and improve public safety by reducing needless incarceration and harmful mandatory minimum sentences, and improving access to rehabilitation services for those with mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. They propose de-felonizing minor crimes as California has done with Prop. 47, and ultimately, strengthening community-police relations.

"As our nation's top police and prosecutors reflect back on their careers, we have come to understand that many of the so-called tough-on-crime principles to which many of us gave our lives are flat-out wrong," said Major Franklin. "We can reduce crime and incarceration at the same time, but to do that we need alternatives to arrest, balance in our laws, and continued improvement in community relations. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition is honored to be a part of distinguished group."  

Unnecessary incarceration taxes public coffers and law enforcement resources as well as furthering economic and racial inequality and lessening life opportunities for millions, who become more likely to re-offend in the future. $80 billion is spent on incarceration in the U.S. every year; a cost reform advocates say would be better spent on rehabilitation, job training, and education. Drug laws continue to be a root cause of mass incarceration and places severe social and economic consequences on individuals and communities, particularly those of color. Overly punitive drug enforcement and the prioritization of drug cases over violent crimes since the drug war began in 1971 has contributed to the U.S. holding more prisoners per capita than any other nation.

Please contact Darby Beck at darby.beck@leap.cc for a special access code to view the launch event being held at the National Press Club Wednesday from 12:30-2pm ET.

LEAP is committed to ending decades of failed policy that have wreaked havoc on public safety, damaged community relations with police, fostered corruption and racism, and largely ignored the public health crisis of addiction. The War on Drugs has cost more than $1 trillion dollars, yielded no positive outcomes, and has ultimately diverted the penal system’s attention away from more important crimes.


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