Because people are legally innocent until proven guilty, they should generally not be kept in jail unless and until they are found guilty. However, the justice system owes a duty not only to defendants, but also to the public.
Current drug penalties pass neither of these tests. Lawmakers owe it to both those accused of drug crimes and the taxpayers, who fund their prosecution and incarceration, to make sure that drug classifications and penalties are grounded in objective fact.
It has been truly said that justice delayed is justice denied. As memories fade and evidence becomes stale, it is harder for juries to accurately determine truth.
It’s imperative to understand that ban-the-box policies are an important step in helping ex-offenders enter into a more equitable and fair labor market.
The task force concluded, following months of study, that MDMA and psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”) can offer significant benefits to those with mental illness.
Victims deserve finality. A lot of that is out of our control: convicted murderers on death row have every incentive to fight their conviction indefinitely. But by doing the right thing up front, police and prosecutors can ensure convictions are the product of a just process and that they stick, even through all the appeals.
