U.S. Congress - H.R.61 Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act of 2009
H.R.61 - Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act of 2009
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide an alternate release date for certain nonviolent offenders, and for other purposes. view all titles (2)
All Bill Titles
- Short: Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act of 2009 as introduced.
- Official: To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide an alternate release date for certain nonviolent offenders, and for other purposes. as introduced.
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Displaying 1-30 of 46 total comments.
I think ‘crime of violence’ is a little loose. Maybe we should limit it a little more. Plus, it’s a bad time to be doing this, since these people won’t have jobs. Hello, unemployment!
Hey Hank, the mayority of these none violent offenders have a higher education than you think, and having a job is just about “where there is a will, there is a way”, that is yust what we need to find out, who is ready for the “second chance”
Plus, their stay in prison is creating a burden on tax payers. This will free up money in that regard.
I have a son at the BOP, Big Spring, TX. He has been there since 11-20-06 and has until 1-07-11 to serve in this minimum security facility.
He has enrolled in classes offered through Howard College and just passed his test for the HVAC license. He was also named “student of the year” on that campus. He has done everything he can to keep a perfect record…hoping for an early release.
Your bill, however, would exclude him from early release because he is only 43 years old. Right now he has done a little more than half his sentence.
I believe any person of this caliber, regardless of age, needs to also be considered. He has two young children that really need him.
Hank, you are kind of nutz, keeping people locked up because of high unemployment? WOW maybe you should run for office, with that kind of reasoning, you should fit right in!
good one, ignorance breeds ignorance hahahaha; I’m glad mbrizio you are speaking your mind!
The definition of “crime of violence” should be stated clearly because I thought some States interprete it differently.
This is a FEDERAL bill, so what do state interpretations have to do with it?
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Obviously you have never experienced the disgrace of having a loved one serving an “unjust” sentence. Maybe you should be saying Do the Crime, Do the Fair and corresponding Time, I have the upmost respect for law officers but “sentencing” should be freely done by Judges who hear the Cases which are properly reprecented by “competent” defence attorneys
I sent this bill onto my representative (Van Hollen) and asked that they co-sponsor. Anyone here supporting this bill may want to do the same thing. For the thousands of people that this affects it means having their families back into their lives sooner. It means see the light sooner at the end of the tunnel to those sitting in prison whose sentences are ridiculously high- even IF serving half the time under previously regulations. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. My opinion is that non-violent offenders of any age should be given consideration – and ultimately a second chance. This bill is a good start but doesn’t do everything needed to give these people a decent chance at second chance in life.
I could agree with you on the grounds that these individuals are first time offenders. I do believe that all non-violent offenders should get a second chance, but anyone that repeatedly commits the same crime deserves to do the entire time.
BOEREP: I agree with you about Sheriff Joe Arpaio. There is no reason that those incarcerated should have cable tv, eat better than I do, and obtain their education free of charge while incarcerated. I think that every jail/prison should have a work program. What ever happened to the “HARD LABOR” part of sentencing? I would think that someone who is miserable during their time of incarceration would be that much more willing to reform and want to toe the line of the law. Giving excessive amenities to prisoners does nothing to help deter them from committing the crime again when they get out. I see it all the time here.
I think they should get the second chance. If they haven’t been in the federal or state prison before. First time should be easier and if they get back in trouble then put them back in for the rest of their time plus their parolbation time.
I think many people need to stop watching the news media and their biased reporting of the “luxurious” lifestyles of federal prison inmates. Unless they are Martha Stewart or the like, they DO NOT eat better than you nor do they get anything “free of charge”. There is a work program and every inmate is made to work. They are paid to work, half of which the prison system gets, the other half they may buy food such as fruit, a candy bar or potato chips. They get about 20 to 30 dollars a month.They are not free. They are given no amenities, as you say. Many of them are in federal prison not because they broke the law, but because they did not have a good enough defense attorney to prove them innocent. So please, before you start talking about the “amenities” and eating better than you do, please do some research.
Is life easy? No, absolutely not. However, they are still a drain on the public’s tax dollars. Their labor does little to nothing to offset this expense. I believe that people in the system should be made to be less of a burden on the rest of society.
Fix the sentencing process if its broken, and make it retroactive. Making exceptions to rules breaks the system and ultimately obfuscates the entire process and makes it unmanageable. Make another class of crime instead of just misdemeanor and felony and sentence accordingly.
We live in AZ and my husband has been convicted of Driving while intoxicated. He committed a crime and must pay, but is there a bill to reduce his sentence, other than “85%” of time served? They already have a reduction for Drug offenders- thay have to fill out a “1291?” and can have their imprisonment reduced to 65% and Illegal immigrants must serve 50% before being deported. What is being done for DUI inmates who caused no property damage or any bodily harm? Is there a way to write to anyone who will listen? Whom? Where? Please respond.
I have a very wonderful father who made some not so great choices. There is nothing in this world that could change the thousands of lives my dad touched. I am a very proud woman to say “That is my father.” Dad helped hundreds of orphans and hungry families in Mexico, he would take blankets, shoes, shirts, clothes, formula(for infants), walkers wheelchairs, food and most of all he would preach the word of God. My father is a very giving and loving man. If this life didn’t offer me much the warmth of my dads heart would be just enough. We do understand as the bible quotes "Obey the Laws of the Land. I miss my 53 yr old dad dearly, and I am waiting for him to come home. May-2016
I also have a wonderful Dad that made a mistake and I miss him so much. He is the kindest man you will ever meet and would give the shirt off his back for someone and the federal sentencing system is the most messed up system there is. They don’t look at the person all they look at is the chart they go by for sentencing. I am also waiting for my Daddy to be home with us and have all this behind him. There are some really great people in there that don’t deserve to be.
When I vote on this subject does it really count?
PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT YEARS OF PUNISHMENT CAN DESTROY ??
THE TIME CAN BE BETTER SPEND TO SERVE SOCIETY and RIGHT A WRONG!
More creative sentencing would be very welcome. We need to figure out how to give something back to society to make up for whatever the convicted persons took. There are hundreds of useful things that non-violent offenders could be doing for us. Sitting around federal prisons is not one of them.
I agree 100%; they should also go to other federal institutions like Fort Dix NJ and see how these men have been locked up for years with no education or any kind of support to prepare them for the future!!!!!!
Could not agree more…it is a waste of taxpayers dollars, offers little help to inmates in every form…..it is a scam for scammers, but unfortunately the family of the prisoners are paying the price..prisoners work at “sweat shops” pay to make “restitution” and help companies that use their labor to make a very good profit….25 cents an hour…
I agree with positivechanges. I know they broke the rules and need punishing but come on now, my husband is doing time for dui. How is putting him in prison going to help his alcohol problem. Their needs to be other ways for them to pay back what they did.Working and paying back the restitutions. My husband has not hurt anyone but I agree that Dui is a big deal right now and something needs to be done to help these people before they end up homeless and in the streets or injuring someone. Now he is in prison, and my children 10yo,7yo, and 8mo, are the ones feeling it the most. Hopefully we can help.
The type of non-violent crime should have a better definition. White collar crime to is non-violent, but I would oppose any white collar criminal from even being released early for any reason. They are the most despicable kind of criminal because they violated a trust placed in them. In general, there may be some convictions that may warrant such an early release, but like the old saying goes, “You do the crime, you do the time.”
This smacks of jealousy. The most despicable kind of criminal is the one we elect to represent us and then they just serve their own self-interest. Most “white collar criminals” are convicted because of differences in interpretation by prosecutors Sarbanes-Oxley created a whole new kind of crime – - many corporate executives have been convicted because of bad results, rather than criminal activity. Under SarbOx, every single public company CEO could technically be found guilty of something… That’s not a law. It’s a threat to freedom. All “white collar criminals” aren’t the same. And most people don’t understand this.
First, I hope that none of your loved ones ever mess up in the federal system. The amount of time given to just sit is torture and the sentence lengths are ridiculous…seriously 6 years of someone’s life locked away to sit all day long. How much does that cost the taxpayer? These people could build homes for the homeless during the day. They could cut yards for the elderly. Society is bearing the cost and innocent children are living in turmoil.
We have locked up a man for legally purchasing deer in another state and bringing them into Texas. The prison is kept very cold for bacteria and you can only have one blanket? What about the older inmates? It is a horrible place and the sentences are too long and only produce resentment and do nothing for positive change.
this bill though it is a possitive step forward, discriminates by placing an age limit (45) what about younger inmates who have also served long senteces but they are only 42 or 43, or 41, think about it, it is not fair, this bill should not have an age limit, period, that is if what we are trying to accomplish is to have “fair” time served between state and federal prison inmates.
A first time offender should be given an early release if his behavior is good. I don’t see any point in the age requirement. Some of these sentences are ridiculously long. You can’t possibly reform anybody that way. They have no hope. Please pass this amendment.