July 25 2024
Washington Free Beacon: The elimination of cash bail and court-ordered fines are just two ways Vice President Kamala Harris wants to "transform the criminal justice system" and "end mass incarceration," according to a memo from her failed 2020 presidential campaign.
The memo, which is no longer available on her campaign website, describes what would be the most dramatic overhaul of how the nation confronts criminality. The "guiding principles" listed by Harris include an "end [to] mandatory minimums."
Harris's proposals put a spotlight on her history as one of the most left-wing lawmakers in the Senate. They also offer a preview into how she could govern as president. On the campaign trail, Harris enthusiastically supported a number of left-wing criminal justice initiatives not outlined in her plan, such as slashing the budgets of police departments and allowing convicted murderers and rapists the right to vote in federal elections.
"It is long past time to re-envision public safety by strengthening and supporting our communities and drastically limiting the number of people we expose to our criminal justice system," the memo reads. "As president, Kamala will fundamentally transform how we approach public safety."
Harris's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The document lists several ways in which a President Harris would lower the nation's prison population. Ideas include an "end" to the "War on Drugs" and allow judges to issue "sentences below the mandatory minimums."
Felons who committed crimes that are "not serious" and have been out of prison for five years would see their criminal records automatically expunged under the Harris plan. Harris did not say what she considers a "not serious" felony. Cash bail, which Harris described as "criminalizing poverty," would also be eliminated.
Crime has increasingly become a top issue for voters as homicide rates spiked across the country in the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns. More than 60 percent of voters, according to a Pew Research Center survey, believe that "the criminal justice system in the United States is not tough enough on criminals." Just 13 percent say it is "too tough."