Austin, TX — Today, Right on Crime praised President Trump for taking his support for prison reform a step further by approving a modest amount of sentencing reform as an addition to the prison reform bill known as the Formerly Incarcerated Re-enter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act (FIRST STEP Act).

“It’s important the President is open to limited sentencing reform being added to the prison reform legislation being considered in the Senate,” said Former House Speaker and Right on Crime Signatory Newt Gingrich.  “The guilty must be held to account, and it is our responsibility to ensure the punishment fits the crime.  Certain sentencing statutes have not performed as intended, have led to unjust consequences, and should be eliminated.  Adding such provisions to the FIRST STEP Act is just common sense.”

“What a gratifying moment for the faith community to see President Trump acknowledge his support for both prison and sentencing reform. Our congregations know first-hand the devastating effects of crime and incarceration,” said Senior Vice President of Advocacy & Public Policy of Prison and Right on Crime Signatory Craig DeRoche. “Our belief in fairness and the power of redemption compel our support for these reforms. We pray the Senate will act swiftly to bring relief to the tens of thousands of people in federal prisons and their families.”

“The President has provided a way forward, and we encourage the Senate to act swiftly,” said Former U.S. Senator and Right on Crime Signatory Jim DeMint. 

The bill provides incentives for inmates to undergo counselling, substance abuse rehabilitation, and vocational training before they are released from prison. The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the FIRST STEP Act in May.

Right on Crime is a national campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, in partnership  with the American Conservative Union Foundation and Prison Fellowship, that supports conservative solutions for reducing crime, restoring victims, reforming offenders, and lowering taxpayer costs. The movement was born in Texas in 2005, and in recent years, dozens of states such as Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, have led the way in implementing conservative criminal justice reforms.

Right on Crime has the support and works to mobilize the voices of more than 90 prominent conservative leaders who have endorsed the principles of conservative criminal justice reform, including former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Concerned Women for America President Penny Nance, former U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, and Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist.

For more information about Right on Crime, please visit www.rightoncrime.com,

www.facebook.com/rightoncrime, @RightonCrime, www.youtube.com/rightoncrime

For more information or to schedule an interview with Right on Crime spokespersons, please contact Kevin McVicker at (703) 739-5920 or [email protected].