Center for Media and Democracy Alec Model Legislation Resolution in Support of Justice Reinvestment
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Exposed D I D YOU KNOW? Corporations VOTED to adopt this. Through ALEC, global companies ALEC EXPOSED Search ABOUT GO MEMBERS EVENTS & MEETINGS “ALEC” NEWShas long been a secretive collaboration between BigLegislation Business and Model “conservative” politicians. Civil Justice Behind closed doors, they ghostwrite “model” bills to Commerce, Insurance, and Economic be introduced in state Development capitols across the country. This agenda--underwritten Education by global corporations-Energy, includes majorEnvironment, tax and Agriculture loopholes for big industries and the super rich, Federal Relations proposals to offshore U.S. Health Human jobs and gutand minimum wage,Services and efforts to weaken public health, International Relations safety, and environmental protections. Although Public Safety andmany Elections of these bills have become law, until now, their origin Tax and Fiscal Policy has been largely unknown. With ALEC EXPOSED, the Telecommunications Centerand forInformation Media and Technology Democracy hopes more Americans will study the bills to understand the Print this Page depth and breadth of how Text-Only Page big corporations are Email this Page changing the legal rules and undermining democracy across the nation. ALEC’s’Corporate Board By the Center for Media and Democracy www.prwatch.org LOGIN | LOGOUT | HOME | JOIN ALEC | CONTACT work as “equals” in “unison” with politicians to write laws to govern your life. Big MODEL LEGISLATION TASK ALEC INITIATIVES PUBLICATIONS Business has “a VOICE and a FORCES VOTE,” according to newly exposed documents. DO YOU? Home Model Legislation Public Safety and Elections Resolution in Support of Justice Reinvestment Summary Did you know the NRA--the National Rifle Association-was the corporate co-chair in 2011? State spending on corrections has grown faster than almost any other budget item in the past 20 years, reaching nearly $52 billion dollars in tight economic times. Prison populations have risen dramatically and correction costs have quadrupled. Although prison admissions have begun to decline in recent years, the recidivism rates are still rising, leaving the fiscal status of many state prison systems untenable. Recognizing these problems, justice reinvestment uses research-based policies to save money on corrections, lower recidivism rates and make communities safer. Justice reinvestment has helped states around the nation cut costs dramatically through intervention, education, treatment, and intense supervision to identify those at the highest risk to commit crime. This resolution supports any policies which would use these proven methods to reduce spending on corrections and reduce recidivism. Resolution WHEREAS, justice reinvestment is a data-driven strategy for policy-makers to lower corrections spending, lower recidivism, and improve public safety for citizens; and Whereas, the American Legislative Exchange Council is committed to developing effective criminal justice policies that create safe communities for citizens as well as strong state budgets; and WHEREAS, state spending on corrections has grown faster than almost any other budget item over the past 20 years, reaching nearly $52 billion dollars; and --in recent past or present • AT&T Services, Inc. • centerpoint360 • UPS • Bayer Corporation • GlaxoSmithKline • Energy Future Holdings • Johnson & Johnson • Coca-Cola Company • PhRMA • Kraft Foods, Inc. • Coca-Cola Co. • Pfizer Inc. • Reed Elsevier, Inc. • DIAGEO • Peabody Energy • Intuit, Inc. • Koch Industries, Inc. • ExxonMobil • Verizon • Reynolds American Inc. • Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. • Salt River Project • Altria Client Services, Inc. • American Bail Coalition • State Farm Insurance For more on these corporations, search at www.SourceWatch.org. WHEREAS, reinvestment policies work by saving money through criminal justice reforms, and reinvesting a portion of those funds into targeted services that reduce recidivism and prevent prison growth; and WHEREAS, the fastest growing source for prison admissions is people already under correctional control; and WHEREAS, justice reinvestment has yielded striking successes in Connecticut, Kansas, and Texas, while several other states are working to gather initial data; and WHEREAS, justice reinvestment has been proven to lower serious crime rates, decrease the prison population, and ultimately save states millions in correctional spending; Therefore Be It Resolved that the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) supports justice reinvestment policies, and urges policy-makers throughout the nation to implement this proven strategy. Adopted by the Public Safety and Elections Task Force at the Annual Meeting, Adopted by the Public Safety and Elections Task Force at the Annual Meeting, August 7, 2010. Approved by the ALEC Board of Directors, September 19, 2010. Aboutfor Media Members Login Logout Events & Meetingsspin and government About Us and ALEC EXPOSED. The Center and Democracy reports on corporate Model LegislationWisconsin, Task Forces ALEC Initiatives Publications Home propaganda.! We are located in Madison, and publish www.PRWatch.org, www.SourceWatch.org, Join ALEC Contact News and now www.ALECexposed.org. For more information contact: editor@prwatch.org or 608-260-9713.