Massachusetts action alert
5/18/07
Time for reform in Massachusetts!
Thanks to our members in Massachusetts who attended the hearing at the State House in Boston on May 16! We know it is not easy to take time out of your busy schedules, but it makes such a difference for lawmakers to see people who have been personally affected by mandatory sentencing laws. FAMM also extends its gratitude to FAMM volunteers Lynn Holbein, Marie Russo, Whitney Taylor for their leadership and assistance at the hearing.
This is an exciting time for supporters of mandatory sentencing reform, with Governor Patrick, Speaker DiMasi and Senate President Murray calling for change and reform bills being introduced. Perhaps we will finally see long-awaited changes to Massachusetts' mandatory sentencing laws. One thing is sure, FAMM will continue to need you to show up to hearings, voice your opinion on smart sentencing laws, and get your family and friends involved in our campaign.
Members put human face on mandatory sentences at hearing
FAMM members lined the hallway outside a hearing room in the Massachusetts Statehouse on May 16, waiting for the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee to discuss S. 1379, introduced by Sen. Cynthia Creem, a long-time champion of drug law reform. Among other reforms, S. 1379 provides early parole eligibility for individuals sentenced under the state’s harsh mandatory minimum drug laws and increases “good time.”
Laura Sager, FAMM’s national campaign director, asked FAMM members to stand and be recognized, before she gave testimony to the committee on how the state’s harsh laws devastate families, waste lives and squander millions in taxpayer dollars. Sager also explained the success of the 2003 sentencing reforms in Michigan, a model for states interested in smarter criminal justice policies. Bernice Williams, a FAMM member, then told committee members about the heartbreak and hardship her family has endured since her daughter, a mother of two, was sentenced to a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence.
A distinguished panel of attorneys and organizations working for criminal justice reform, as well as law enforcement, also testified in support of the bill. Rep. Michael Costello (D-First Essex), committee co-chair, noted that the group was “speaking to the choir” on the reform issue and voiced his support for change. Many who testified emphasized the decade of efforts to reform Massachusetts’ mandatory minimums and emphasized “the time has come” to make long-overdue changes in the state’s drug laws.
S. 1379 also contains a post-release supervision that could increase sentences beyond the judicially imposed maximum. FAMM and other reform advocates asked committee members to remove this provision before voting to approve the bill.
Leadership voices support for change
The hearing followed encouraging news from Governor Deval Patrick and legislative leaders signaling support for sentencing reform. On May 10, Massachusetts Governor Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi all made spontaneous remarks on the need for mandatory minimum drug law reform at a press conference on the supplementary budget. The State House News Service detailed the three leaders’ opposition to the sentencing structure, including the mandatory minimum drug laws for trafficking and violations of drug free enhancement zones.
Speaker DiMasi said, “I think that we’ve made mistakes in the past in how we approach the crime problem, especially youth programs or youth crime … I mean, mandatory minimum sentences, for instance, I don’t think are working and we’re paying for the mistakes that we had in the past, and I will say that publicly.”
Patrick said he also opposes the mandatory minimums, noting that Public Safety Secretary Kevin Burke is studying the issue.
“I think anybody who’s actually practiced in court on the defense and the prosecutor side has concerns about the systemic impact of warehousing as a strategy to fight crime,” said Gov. Patrick.
Senate President Murray agreed, saying, “We’re taking juveniles, kids who haven’t figured out how it’s put together, haven’t got the education, haven’t got the support at home, and we’re putting them into correctional facilities, and they’re coming out with a stigma that they’ll never get rid of. And they’ll never get a job, and they’ll never get a driver’s license, and we’re going to keep them in poverty and we’re going to keep them into a criminal mindset.”
Senate Judiciary Committee chair Sen. Robert Creedon, said his panel would revisit the policy, but, “It’s not going to happen soon. You’ve got to look at the whole statutory scheme of mandatory minimums.”
The remarks follow the governor's announcement in April of a comprehensive review of the state's mandatory sentencing laws, a move supported by the attorney general and the chief justice of the state trial courts.
Your help is needed!
Help build FAMM's membership in Massachusetts by forwarding this alert to family and friends. Encourage them to sign up to receive news from FAMM by visiting www.famm.org. If you have questions or concerns, please call Marie Russo at (781) 334-5947 or email at russomarie@aol.com. We need your help to build the movement that will finally bring reform to Massachusetts!