The Justice Integrity Act of 2009
On February 27, Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), and Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, introduced S. 495, the Justice Integrity Act of 2009. The Act would create five-year pilot programs in ten U.S. districts that will examine the causes of racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system and develop proposals for reducing or eliminating unjustified disparities where found. The bill creates advisory groups charged with systematically collecting and analyzing quantitative data that will examine the extent to which, among other things, race influences courts’ sentencing decisions and penalty schemes established by Congress. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
On March 10, Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced a House companion to the bill, H.R. 1412. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Vice President Biden introduced similar legislation in the 110th Congress.