Keith Wattley JD ’99 wrote an oped for the New York Times: “Trump’s Criminal Justice Reform Is a Step in the Wrong Direction”. Mr. Wattley is the executive director of UnCommon Law, a nonprofit law firm that provides therapeutic and legal counseling for people serving lengthy prison terms in California prisons.
“Donald Trump claims he’s taking a step toward desperately needed criminal justice reform, but he’s not. A bipartisan bill known as the First Step Act has been described by activists as groundbreaking in the fight to end mass incarceration, and Mr. Trump has said he’s “waiting with his pen” for the bill to land on his desk. Some support the bill because it will reduce some sentences and lead to some savings when it comes to the cost of incarceration. Having spent many years working with people in prison who are seeking release, I respectfully disagree. This is not a case in which a little reform is better than none.”
