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Cohen Reintroduces Justice Integrity Act

May 5, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-9) today reintroduced legislation to examine the causes of racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system and develop proposals for reducing or eliminating unjustified disparities wherever they are found.

“Studies, reports, and case law from the last several years have documented racial disparities at many stages of the criminal justice system,” said Congressman Cohen. “This includes racial profiling of potential suspects, prosecutorial discretion over charging and plea bargaining decisions, mandatory minimum sentences, and countless other policies and decisions that may contribute to the disparities we see today. My Justice Integrity Act would establish a pilot program to examine the causes of these disparities and help put an end to them.”

Congressman Cohen’s Justice Integrity Act would establish a five-year pilot program to create an advisory group in 10 United States judicial districts headed by the U.S. Attorney for that district. The advisory groups would consist of federal and state prosecutors and defenders, private defense counsel, judges, correctional officers, victims’ rights representatives, civil rights organizations, business representatives, and faith-based organizations.

The advisory group would be responsible for gathering data on the presence, cause, and extent of racial and ethnic disparities at each stage of the criminal justice system. Each advisory group would recommend a plan, specific to each district, to ensure progress towards racial and ethnic equality. The U.S. Attorney would consider the advisory group’s recommendations, adopt a plan, and submit a report to the Attorney General. The bill would require the Attorney General to submit a comprehensive report to Congress at the end of the pilot program, outlining the results from all 10 districts and recommending best practices.

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Issues:Judiciary