Oppose Efforts to Return to Tough on Crime Policies

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Being tough on crime has never been an answer – this approach only increases incarceration without meeting the promise of reducing crime and violence in our communities. Rather, we must take a smart approach to crime, one that uses proven solutions and builds up communities while enhancing public safety.

Make your voice heard in opposition to returning to tough on crime polices.

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State Representatives and State Senators

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Subject Oppose efforts to return to tough on crime policies

Dear State Legislator,

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As a constituent supportive of taking a smart approach on addressing crime, I write to urge you to reject all efforts offered in Springfield to return to the failed policies of over-policing, penalty enhancements and harsh sentences. They don’t reduce crime, and they don’t make me feel safer. Numerous academic studies over many years also demonstrate that tough on crime approaches, especially those adding extra penalties for particular crimes, fail to enhance public safety and only add to our prison population.

As a state, we demanded more accountability and oversight of police and changes in our criminal legal system to address long time inequities. And the legislature took small steps towards embracing a reasoned approach to policing and criminal legal system reform.

Now it is critical that elected officials reject failed “tough on crime” approaches, and instead focus on being “smart on crime.” Our state needs measure that promote community safety, and not measures that are overly-broad and waste resources on more incarceration instead of addressing the root causes of crime. Now is not the time to turn back to the failed policies that have not enhanced public safety but have destroyed communities.

I urge you to embrace a smart on crime approach during the remaining days of this legislative session.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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Oppose Efforts to Return to Tough on Crime Policies

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