Iowa faith leaders - Families Against Mandatory Minimums
The Honorable Charles E. Grassley United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 April 20, 2015 Re: Iowa faith leaders call for sentencing reform Dear Senator Grassley: As your constituents, and as leaders in our Iowa faith communities, we write to congratulate you on your recent appointment as Chairman of the U.S. Senate’s Judiciary Committee and to offer our support as you navigate the Committee’s important work to reform the nation’s criminal justice system. Our ministries call us to comfort and serve those harmed by crime, support accountability, rehabilitation, and restoration for those who offend and counsel families experiencing the painful outcomes of crime. From this vantage point, we have come to recognize the need for fundamental changes to the nation’s justice system and recognize that your leadership is critical to advancement. We are encouraged by the recent bipartisan support for criminal justice reform in Washington, DC as well as the array of legislation being proposed. The time has come for the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider the various bipartisan bills, reach consensus and enact broad reforms that respect the dignity of crime victims, limit disproportionate sentences particularly for drug offenses, and encourage reintegration of people returning from prison and jails. The federal criminal justice system should lead the nation in ensuring proportional and equitable accountability for men and women within the criminal justice system. While few people are sentenced federally for simple drug possession, we are greatly concerned that many federal prisoners are serving disproportionately long sentences for drug offenses overall. In 1986 when Congress passed the first Anti-Drug Abuse Act that created much of today’s mandatory minimum sentences for drugs, it created the five-year mandatory minimum for what it called “serious” traffickers or the managers of the retail level drug trade. The ten-year mandatory minimum was set for “major” traffickers who were considered the manufacturers or the heads of organizations who are responsible for creating and delivering very large quantities.1 Unfortunately, as time has passed the level of culpability of the average federal drug defendant does not equate to these function levels first described by Congress. Indeed, according to research from the U.S. Sentencing Commission that analyzed drug trafficking cases sentenced in federal courts during fiscal year 2013, 93% of defendants did not play a leadership or management role in their offense.2 1 United States Sentencing Commission, “Report to the Congress: Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy,” (2002) at pg 6-7, available at: http://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/news/congressional-testimony-and-reports/drugtopics/200205-rtc-cocaine-sentencing-policy/200205_Cocaine_and_Federal_Sentencing_Policy.pdf. 2 Unite States Sentencing Commission, “2013 Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics” (2013) at Tbl. 40, available at: http://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/annual-reports-andsourcebooks/2013/Table40.pdf. We believe justice can be better served and proportionality restored by lowering penalties. The unnecessarily lengthy incarceration of people with drug offenses has burdened the federal criminal justice system and produced increasing costs that are unsustainable. The Bureau of Prisons consumes over 25% of the Department of Justice’s budget which limits allocations for other important justice programs, like services for victims, crime prevention, and re-entry programs. This portion of the federal budget for prisons will continue to grow if significant reforms designed to curtail growth and reduce the prison population are not enacted. We join with people of faith across the country calling for change to the criminal justice system. And, we urge you to lead in this effort by prioritizing the consideration and mark-up of important bipartisan sentencing reform legislation currently pending in Congress. Thank you for considering our concerns. If you have any questions or wish to discuss this issue further, please contact Pastor Abraham Funchess at abraham.funchess@waterloo-ia.org. Sincerely, Lynda Hommer, Adel Rabbi David Wirtschafter, Ames Jewish Congregation, Ames Ankeny Lindsay Drake, Ankeny First United Methodist Church The Rev. Dr. Timothy Olson Rev. Lisa Parker, Resurrection Lutheran Rev. Pamela Schroeder, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Pastor Alaire Willits, Boxholm Cedar Falls Rev. Darline Balm-Demmel, United Methodist Church Dr. Michael Blackwell Rev. Eva Cameron, Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists Rev. David Glenn-Burns, Threehouse: A Wesley Foundation Rev. Susan Janzen, Cedar Falls Mennonite Church Cedar Rapids Marie Becker, Sisters of Mercy Sister Mary Corkery, Sisters of Mercy Sister Emily Devine, Sisters of Mercy Sister Susan Dunnwald, Sisters of Mercy Sister Annette Fialal, Sisters of Mercy Sister Alice Maiers, Sisters of Mercy Sister Margaret Weigel, Sisters of Mercy WMW Clinton Laura Anderson, Franciscan Peace Center Sister Anne Martin Phelan, Sisters of St. Francis Clive Vionne Darsee, Friends of Iowa Women Prisoners Karen Tisinger Coralville Lynn Calvert Rev. Marlene Janssen, West Chester United Methodist Church 2 Rabbi Jeff Portman, Agudas Achim Congregation Davenport Bishop Martin Amos, Diocese of Davenport Rev. Rebecca David, United Church of Christ, Iowa Conference Sister M. Johanna Rickl, Congregation of the Humility of Mary Sister Dolores Schuh Sister Mary Ann Vogel, Congregation of the Humility of Mary Decorah Rev. Michael F Blevins Rev. James Dale Cheri Lane Des Moines Jean Basinger, Justice Reform Consortium Rev. Kathleen Clark, Church Women United Rev. Katie Dawson, Immanuel United Methodist Church Sister Marilyn Jean Hagedorn, Congregation of the Humility of Mary Bishop Richard Pates, Diocese of Des Moines Rev. William Poland Rev. Sarai Rice Connie Ryan Terrell, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Pastor Michael Schmidt, Grace Lutheran Church Rev. Mark Young, Christ United Methodist Church, Douds Dubuque Sister Kathleen Carr Sister Donard Collins, Sisters of Charity, BVM Sister Mary Crimmin Sister LaVerne Dolphin, Sisters of Charity, BVM Dr. William Gregory, Clarke University Teresa Hadro Sister Brigid Mary Hart Sister C Jean Hayen, Sisters of Charity, BVM Sister Florence Heflin, Sisters of Charity, BVM Sister Kate Hendel, Sisters of Charity, BVM Pastor Kayla Lange Sister Mary Martens Sister Sara McAlpin Sister Mira Mosle Sister Mary Thea O'Meara Sister Joy Peterson Sister Diane Rapozo, Sisters of Charity, BVM Sister Paulette Skiba, Clarke University; Sister of Charity, BVM Pastor Linda VonFumetti, Rockdale United Methodist Church Dysart Rev. Linda Butler, Dysart United Methodist Church Rev. Dr. Jim Davis, Dysart United Methodist Sister JoAnn O'Connell, Evansdale Pastor Paul Stone, Church of the Damascus Road, Fort Dodge Rev. Diane Eberhart, Grinnell 3 Rev. Doresa Collogan, Holstein United Methodist Church, Holstein Rev. Karen Dungan, Iowa Annual Conference, Indianola Iowa City Bishop Michael Burk, Southeastern Iowa Synod Assembly John Halder Dr. Nyle Kauffman, East Union Mennonite Church Sister Rose Kucera Dr. Samuel Massey, First Presbyterian Church Elizabeth Michael, Sharon Center United Methodist Rev Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler, First Mennonite Church Rev. Dr. Dorothy Whiston, First Baptist Church Jefferson Nick Blackburn Tammy Ganoe Pastor Lynn Gunderson, First United Methodist Church Rev. Julia Poulsen, First United Methodist Church Adrienne Smith Jean A. Tucker Johnston Rev. David Shogren, First United Methodist Church, Ames Sister Karen Yarkosky, Sisters of Mercy Rev. William Ballard, Iowa Conference United Methodist Church, Lacona Melanie Greengo, Lime Springs United Methodist Church, Lime Springs Rev. Dr. William Daylong, United Methodist Church of Mt. Vernon, Marion Marshalltown Sister Sheila Geraghty, Sisters of Mercy Dr. Shiela Kielly, Associate of Mercy Rev. Walden Paige, Hope United Methodist Church Pastor Jeffrey A McPheron, Trenton and Wesley Chapel United Methodist Churches, Mount Pleasant Rev. Marsha Acord, Mt. Vernon Sister Vicky Arndorfer, Sisters of Mercy, New Hampton Dan Kingery, Prison Fellowship, Newton Bishop Julius Trimble, Iowa Episcopal Area, United Methodist Church, Norwalk Pastor Christine Cowan, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ogden B Kay Oliver, Oakwood United Methodist Church, Pleasant Hill Pastor Joy Gonnerman, St. Peter Lutheran Church, Pocahontas Rev. Lee Schott, Women at the Well United Methodist Church, Prairie City Storm Lake Dr. Melanie Hauser, Women at the Well United Methodist Church Cynthia Wells, Western Iowa Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Pastor Paul Frederiksen, Tipton Urbandale Dr. Mary Fraser, United Methodist Church Rev. Gary Nims Sister Sandra Rodemyer Washington Pastor Amanda Beachy Pastor-Retired Roger Farmer, Central Plains Mennonite Conference 4 Mary Martin, Washington Mennonite Church Waterloo Pastor Belinda Creighton-Smith Pastor Abraham Funchess, Jubilee United Methodist Church Pastor Marvin Jenkins, Union Baptist Pastor Chassidi Martin, Harvest Vineyard Church Rev. Nate Nims, Waterloo First United Methodist Church Pastor William Perkins Rev. Dick Clark, Walnut Hills United Methodist, Waukee Wellman Edie Hochstetler, Mennonite Church Rev. Shana Peachey Boshart, Central Plains Mennonite Conference Holly Yoder, Central Plains Mennonite Conference Elder Chair David Sickles, Mennonite Church, West Branch West Des Moines Eleanor Bidler Rev. Carlos Jayne, Grace United Methodist Church The Rev. Daniel Kuckuck, St. Stephen Lutheran Church Janet Rosenbury Rev. Brigit Stevens, Iowa Conference United Church of Christ Windsor Heights Rev. Brian Carter, Aldersgate United Methodist Church Rev. Sarah Garriott Rev Deanna Snyder, United Methodist Church Rev. Dr. Beverlee Bell, Winterset United Methodist, Winterset 5
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