A Second Step Act for the States (and Counties, and Cities)

On December 21, 2018, President Donald J. Trump signed the First Step Act (FSA),[1] one of the few significant pieces of legislation passed during his administration, and perhaps the only one with broad bipartisan support. Among other things, the FSA reduced some mandatory minimums for federal drug offenses, gave federal judges more options to avoid mandatory minimums altogether in certain drug cases, retroactively expanded the “good time” credits people in federal prison can earn, provided more incentives to people in… Read More

The First Step is Actually the Next Step After Fifteen Years of Sucessful Reforms to the Federal Criminal Justice System

After many months of negotiations between a Republican-controlled U.S. Congress and the Trump Administration, on December 21, 2018, the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA) was signed into law by President Trump.[1] While this legislation was named the “First Step Act” to signal that it was the first attempt at incremental change to the federal criminal justice system, that name is actually a misnomer and ignores several successful reforms that preceded the legislation’s passage.[2] The FSA was actually the next… Read More

When Deprivation of Access to Literacy Infringes on Indigent Parents’ Right to Direct the Education of Their Children

Education quality is a major issue in America, with many children unable to gain access to literacy in state public school systems.[1] Unfortunately, there are public school districts in America where learning to read is not guaranteed and, in fact, not probable.[2] Children attend public schools where teachers do not show up for class or are unqualified, textbooks are either non-existent or outdated, roofs leak, and there are rodent and insect infestations.[3] The quality of the school is so inadequate… Read More