Brennan Center for Justice

For Immediate Release

Contact

Daniel Schuman:
202-580-6922
dschuman@constitutionproject.org

D.C. – A coalition of more than 20 organizations, including the Brennan Center for Justice, and individuals is
pleased to announce the publication of a catalogue of key criminal justice
issues and policy recommendations for the next administration and congress.

Virginia Sloan,
President of the Constitution Project, which coordinated the coalition's efforts,
said: "Smart on Crime: Recommendations
for the Next Administration and Congress reflects the ongoing,
collaborative efforts of a coalition of more than twenty leading organizations
and individuals to provide policymakers with a framework for addressing
criminal justice issues. The catalogue includes recommendations drawn from the
shared knowledge and experience of a broad coalition of groups devoted to improving
our criminal justice system."

The catalogue identifies 43 criminal justice priorities in
15 issue areas, makes recommendations for congressional and executive action,
and provides in-depth background information on a broad array of subjects. It
also includes lists of issue-based resources and experts.

The catalogue is available online at www.2009transition.org/criminaljustice.

For policy questions, please contact the individuals or
organizations identified in the catalogue as experts. Please direct general
questions to Daniel Schuman at the
Constitution Project.

A list of authors, contributors, and consultants is available
here. Many additional organizations from across the political spectrum have
signed on to specific recommendations. Please consult the appropriate chapter to
see a list of supporters.

The report contains the following chapters:

1.
Overcriminalization of Conduct, Overfederalization of Criminal Law, and
the Exercise of Enforcement Discretion
2.
Federal Law Enforcement Reform—Improve Investigative
Techniques, Including Eyewitness Identification, Incentives to Testify, and
Interrogation
3.
Forensic Science Reform-Federal Oversight and Standards
4.
Federal Grand Jury Reform
5. Federal
Sentencing Reform
6. Asset
Forfeiture Reform
7. Innocence
Issues
8.
Prison Reform
9.
Pardon Power/Executive Clemency—Breathe New Life into the Pardon Power
10. Re-entry-Ensure
Successful Reintegration After Incarceration
11. Public
Defense Reforms—Make our Communities Safer by Supporting Quality Public Defense
System
12. Death
Penalty/Habeas Corpus Reform
13. Juvenile
Justice Reforms
14. Fixing
Medellin: Compliance with International Law and
Protecting Consular Access
15. Victim
Issues and Restorative Justice

The Constitution Project is a
politically independent think tank established in 1997 to promote and defend
the fundamental tenets of our nation's founding document. More information
about the Constitution Project is available at http://constitutionproject.org/.

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