The Plain Dealer - Rep. Marcia Fudge Introduces Bill To Review The Criminal Justice System

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A bipartisan group of lawmakers including Warrensville Heights Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge unveiled a bill today that would create a "blue ribbon bipartisan commission" to review the nation's criminal justice system and suggest reforms.

The legislation mirrors a bill authored by Virginia Democratic Sen. Jim Webb that was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and is slated for consideration by the full Senate later this year.

Fudge, who introduced the measure with Democrat Bill Delahunt of Massachusetts and Republicans Darrell Issa of California and Tom Rooney of Florida, said her experience prosecuting and defending criminal cases in Cuyahoga County convinced her reforms are needed.

She said the current system often delivers excessive punishment to nonviolent offenders while granting freedom to those who commit violent acts. She also said more should be done to assimilate ex-convicts into the community after they're released from prison.

"We have to find some way to make people believe that once they have served their time, they can again be contributing citizens to this country," Fudge told a Capitol Hill press conference.

Delahunt says the bill has widespread bipartisan support on the House Judiciary Committee and he hopes it will become law rapidly. The commission would deliberate over 18 months, and have a $14 million budget over two years.

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