U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) have introduced the Just Incarceration of Criminal Elements (JUSTICE) in D.C. Act. The proposed legislation seeks to repeal two Washington, D.C., laws—the Incarceration Reduction Act and the Second Look Amendment Act—that allow individuals convicted of crimes committed before age 25 to be considered for early release, regardless of the crime’s severity or sentence length.
“Repealing these foolish, soft-on-crime laws is an important step in Making DC Safe Again,” said Sen. Graham. “Our work on this legislation would ensure that violent criminals are not set free early solely based on age. This reckless practice needs to end now.”
Senator Cornyn criticized the current policies: “The Incarceration Reduction Act and Second Look Amendment Act exemplify the mindless policies of D.C.’s progressive city council that have incentivized crime in our nation’s capital for far too long. The JUSTICE in D.C. Act puts common sense back at the forefront of D.C.’s justice system by ensuring no offender receives a shortened sentence just because they committed a crime – including murder – before the age of 25. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro has called for these ridiculous laws to be eliminated, and I couldn’t agree more.”
Senator Budd referenced recent incidents to support his position: “Our country has endured far too many horrific acts of violence because of weak sentencing and the premature release of dangerous criminals in Democrat-run cities like Washington, D.C. My home state of North Carolina has suffered as well—just last month, a young Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte was brutally murdered by a repeat offender with fourteen prior arrests. These ‘criminal reform’ experiments have delivered neither safety, justice, nor rehabilitation. It is long past time to put a stop to them. I am proud to stand with Senator Cornyn in creating strict standards to prevent judges from releasing violent offenders onto the streets of D.C.”
Senator Blackburn also commented: “Washington, D.C.’s soft-on-crime policies have empowered violent criminals to become repeat offenders—allowing them prematurely back onto the street simply because they are under the age of 25. Our JUSTICE in D.C. Act would help restore law and order by getting rid of two reckless D.C. laws so that criminals are not improperly and prematurely released.”
The District’s Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA) passed in 2016, along with its expansion through the Second Look Amendment Act (SLAA) in 2021, allows those convicted before turning 25 to request a reduced sentence after serving 15 years, regardless of their original term or offense severity. Judges considering such requests are not required to factor in “the nature of the offense,” which differs from federal sentencing guidelines.
If enacted, the JUSTICE in D.C. Act would remove both laws and prevent offenders from receiving early release based only on their age at conviction for crimes such as robbery or murder. Standard parole and probation processes would remain unchanged for all other cases; opportunities for release based on rehabilitation would continue through these existing channels.
Additionally, under this proposal funds currently granted to released individuals through IRAA and SLAA programs would instead be redirected toward victims of violent crimes.
