President’s Budget is “a Mixed Bag,” Says FAMM

For Immediate Release
Date: February 13, 2012
Contact: Monica Pratt Raffanel, media@famm.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) President Julie Stewart today called President Obama’s fiscal year (FY 2013) budget proposal a “mixed bag that includes some positive prison reforms but does not address the main drivers of our overcrowded and expensive federal prisons system.”

The proposal includes an overall four percent increase for the Bureau of Prisons ($8.5 billion in FY 2013) funding to begin the activation project for two institutions. But it also includes money saving initiatives, including expanding the compassionate release program and a proposal to allow prisoners to earn additional time off their sentences for good behavior (known as “good time credit”).

“We are pleased that the President has once again proposed to expand good time credit. Because this proposal will require legislation, we hope that the President will make this a priority when negotiations with Congress occur later this year.” said Stewart. FAMM has long championed an expansion of federal good time credit. Stewart noted that many states have expanded their good time opportunities and the results have been very positive. Indeed, studies by the National Conference of State Legislatures shows a positive effect on crime rates, recidivism and costs.

Ms. Stewart said, “We also applaud the President’s commitment to expanding compassionate release, another longtime FAMM priority. There is no good reason, economic, safety or moral, to keep inmates dealing with severe or even terminal medical conditions or other extraordinary and compelling changes to their circumstances locked up. We look forward to working with the administration to increase the number of compassionate releases.”

Ms. Stewart said her chief criticism of the President’s budget proposal is that it did not include bolder reforms. She said, “The budget plan seeks more money for prisons without proposing the type of reforms that will right-size the overfilled prisons we already have. The President and Congress should work together to expand the federal sentencing safety valve, so minor offenders are not subject to lengthy mandatory minimums. They should do all they can to rethink the use of incarceration, for example, following  the lead of forward-looking states that are using probation and alternative sentences more frequently for nonviolent, low-level offenders. These types of bold changes will help cut millions from the budget without sacrificing public safety.” 

 Last April, FAMM held a panel discussion on Capitol Hill titled “The Last Sacred Cow: How Congress Can Cut Criminal Justice Spending Without Compromising Public Safety.” Four prominent national conservatives spoke out in favor of finding smarter, less expensive ways to control crime and rehabilitate offenders at the federal level. The panelists were: Asa Hutchinson, former U.S. Attorney, member of Congress from Arkansas, DEA Administrator under President George W. Bush and then Undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security; Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform; and Tim Lynch, director of Cato Institute’s Criminal Justice Project.  FAMM released a fact sheet http://www.famm.org/Repository/Files/Cut%20Prison%20Costs%20Briefing%20factsheet%204.14.11.pdf at the briefing that detailed numerous specific budget cuts.

For more information on federal good time credit, check out FAMM’s frequently asked questions http://www.famm.org/Repository/Files/Federal%20Good%20Time%20FAQs%206.7.10.pdf fact sheet on the issue.

FAMM is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports fair and proportionate sentencing laws that allow judicial discretion while maintaining public safety.

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