Colleen Eren: Why Donald Trump Signed the FIRST STEP Act
Nov 8, 2023
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Sociologist Colleen Eren discusses the First Step Act, a major reform aimed at reducing federal prison time and after-incarceration stigma. They explore the bipartisan nature of criminal justice reform, the reasons behind high incarceration rates in the US, and the role of celebrities in advocating for reform. The chapter also touches on sociology's importance and decline, explores classical liberalism and individual freedom, and discusses the challenges and potential setbacks in criminal justice reform.
The First Step Act is a significant federal criminal justice reform bill aimed at reducing incarceration and improving conditions within the federal prison system.
Grassroots activism played a crucial role in advocating for the First Step Act, which championed reducing federal prison time and addressing issues of stigma and recidivism.
Celebrities and philanthropic organizations played instrumental roles in advancing the First Step Act, but there were debates within the movement about their influence and potential conflicts of interest.
While the First Step Act represents progress in criminal justice reform, mass incarceration remains a complex issue that requires ongoing comprehensive efforts.
Deep dives
The First Step Act and the Movement to End Mass Incarceration
The First Step Act is a significant federal criminal justice reform bill aimed at reducing incarceration and improving conditions within the federal prison system. It is one of the few major reforms in the past 40 years that has made progress in this area. Grassroots activism played a crucial role in advocating for the First Step Act, which championed reducing federal prison time and addressing issues of stigma and recidivism. The legislation gained bipartisan support and was endorsed by high-profile figures such as Kim Kardashian and Alyssa Milano.
The Historical Context of Increased Incarceration
From the late 1960s to the early 2000s, federal criminal justice legislation led to a steady increase in incarceration rates and longer prison sentences. The ramp-up in harsh sentencing and the war on drugs contributed to this trend, which was supported by both Republican and Democratic administrations. The First Step Act aimed to reverse this pattern by reforming sentencing guidelines, reducing mandatory minimums, and offering prison reform measures such as earned time credits and improved conditions for incarcerated individuals.
The Role of Celebrities and Philanthropy in Criminal Justice Reform
Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Alyssa Milano played instrumental roles in advancing the First Step Act by using their platforms to raise awareness and advocate for reform. Philanthropic organizations and wealthy individuals also contributed significant funding towards criminal justice reform initiatives. However, there were debates within the movement about the influence of celebrities and philanthropists, with concerns ranging from prioritizing popular figures over grassroots activists to potential conflicts of interest. The philanthropic sector's engagement in criminal justice reform has increased substantially, with corporate social responsibility and labor market considerations also influencing their involvement.
The Impact and Challenges of Criminal Justice Reform
The First Step Act represents a significant step towards criminal justice reform, but its overall effectiveness is still being evaluated. While there have been thousands of individuals who benefited from the Act's provisions, mass incarceration remains a complex issue. Balancing the perspectives of different stakeholders, addressing the legacy of racial inequality, and navigating the influence of political factors are ongoing challenges in the pursuit of comprehensive criminal justice reform.
Criminal Justice Reform and the First Step Act
The podcast episode explores the topic of criminal justice reform and focuses on the First Step Act. It discusses the main ideas and key points surrounding the act, which was intended to be the first step in an ongoing process of reform. The episode delves into the differing narratives and deeply felt stories that motivate the right and the left when it comes to criminal justice reform. It examines the positive case for sociology as an academic discipline in understanding societal dynamics and making predictions about the future. The episode also touches on the challenges and obstacles faced in achieving consensus and advancing criminal justice reform in the current political climate.
The Intersection of Ideology and Academia
The podcast episode delves into the impact of ideology on academia, particularly within the field of sociology. It discusses the challenges and pressures faced by academics in expressing differing viewpoints and the fear of being labeled or ostracized. The episode explores the decline of intellectual discourse and the devaluing of certain academic disciplines, such as the humanities. It highlights the need for viewpoint diversity and open inquiry within academia, as well as the potential for disruption and reconfiguration in the future.
Predictions and Outlook for Criminal Justice Reform
The podcast episode offers predictions and insights into the future of criminal justice reform. It suggests that criminal justice reform may not be a major issue in the upcoming 2024 presidential race, as it may be overshadowed by other topics. The episode discusses the possibilities of focusing on issues such as fentanyl and border security, which could impact the progress of criminal justice reform. It emphasizes the importance of vigilance in monitoring the narrative surrounding fentanyl and its connection to xenophobia, as it may be used to derail advancements in criminal justice reform.
Signed into law by Donald Trump in 2018, the FIRST STEP Act is one of the few major reforms in the past 50 years aimed at reducing federal prison time and post-incarceration stigma and recidivism. The legislation was championed by the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose father had served time for tax evasion and witness tampering, and celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Alyssa Milano. It also drew major support from philanthropic foundations all over the political and ideological spectrum. It's a great case study of how political change actually gets done.
Eren's book is a masterful account of how grassroots activism on a cause that very few people really cared about blossomed into a win for not just better treatment of people convicted of certain crimes but a better use of tax dollars. She blends original interviews with major players in the reform movement with great storytelling and a sociological framework that illuminates the complexities of all reform efforts.
This is a wide-ranging discussion that also covers my time back in the 1980s when I ghostwrote an advice column for Alyssa Milano, who really played a major role in helping the FIRST STEP Act become law, at the late and unlamented magazine Teen Machine. We talk about what it's like being a libertarian-leaning academic—which Eren is—in today's universities and the value of the oft-maligned discipline of sociology as a framework for understanding who we are as a society. And, of course, we talk about what, if anything, might come next in criminal justice reform. As its name implies, the FIRST STEP Act was supposed to be the start of something, not its final triumph.
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