Marc A. Levin is the Chief Policy Counsel at the Council on Criminal Justice and Senior Advisor to Right on Crime.
James T. Woods Act would take necessary steps One night nearly a year ago, Marilyn Davidson’s worst nightmare as a mother came true at the dinner table. Like most other parents, Marilyn had taught her son about the dangers he might encounter as he grew up, including drugs, alcohol, strangers and unsafe situations. Still, there was one...
When criminal records follow people forever, families struggle, employers lose workers, and communities lose productive citizens. Federal law offers almost no path to redemption, even though second chances strengthen public safety and the economy. Key Points The federal expungement system is effectively nonexistent. Permanent criminal records for non-violent federal offenses undermine work opportunities, family stability,...
The central paradox of human trafficking is that victims, not traffickers, are most likely to face criminal charges. In fact, an individual is more likely to be struck by lightning than prosecuted for trafficking. Which begs the question, why? How Traffickers Turn Victims into Defendants To start, prosecutors and law enforcement act on the best available information...