Beto O'Rourke Calls For "True Criminal Justice Reform"

(This caricature of Rep. Beto O'Rourke is by DonkeyHotey.)

Beto O'Rourke has been a great congressman for Texas, and hopefully he will also be a great senator after all the votes are counted in the November election. One of his best attributes is his willingness to tell the truth instead of just pandering to what he thinks would be best for his political career.

An excellent example of that was his defense of athletes taking a knee during the national anthem. He understands that, while it may irritate some voters, those athletes were just exercising their constitutional right to demonstrate to correct a wrong in our society.

Now he has done it again. Instead of just pandering to voters and calling for more harsh treatment of criminals (as most politicians do), he recognizes that our criminal justice system is flawed and needs to be fixed.

In an editorial in the Houston Chronicle, O'Rourke calls for Texas to lead the way in true criminal justice reform. The following is part of that great article that lists what kind of reform he thinks is need:

First, we should eliminate private, for-profit prisons from our justice system. Locking someone up is a power that should be reserved for our government, not outsourced to corporations that have the perverse incentive of getting more people behind bars so that there are more profits for their shareholders.

Second, we need to end the failed war on drugs that has long been a war on people, waged on some people over other people. Who is going to be the last man — more likely than not a black man — to languish behind bars for possessing or using marijuana when it is legal in more than half of the states in this country? We should end the federal prohibition on marijuana and expunge the records of those who were locked away for possessing it, ensuring that they can get work, finish their education, contribute to their full potential and to the greatness of this country.

Third, we must stop using mandatory minimum sentencing for non-violent drug offenses — a practice that costs taxpayers dearly and destroys lives in the process by locking up people who could safely re-enter society. And we replace this practice with policies that begin treating addiction like the public health concern it is.

Fourth, we can end the current use of bail bonds that punish people for being poor. This is a tactic that wastes resources on incarcerating those who are not a threat to anyone, not a flight risk, not likely to be repeat offenders. In the Harris County Jail, it’s estimated that 500 to 600 of the inmates at any given time fit this description — in for misdemeanors but without the resources to post bail as I did more than twenty years ago.

Finally, we should provide meaningful reentry to help cut down on recidivism for those who committed non-violent crimes. That starts with strong rehabilitation services, counseling and access to preventative health care. It continues by banning the box on job applications so those formerly incarcerated can work and pay taxes, returning drivers licenses so they can get to that place of employment, allowing them to apply for loans that can unlock skills trainings, and ensuring their constitutional right to participate in civic life by voting is protected. . . .

At the end of the day, this is about ensuring that every single one of us can live to our full potential and contribute to our maximum capacity. Giving low-level offenders a second chance no matter the color of their skin or the economic status they hold can create opportunity for all of us. It will help build a future that is more just, more fair, and more prosperous for every single person in this state and this country. It is time for Texas to lead the way.