Attorney General Delivers Important Policy Speech at the ABA’s Annual Meeting

“Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long, and for no truly good law-enforcement reason.”

That is from a speech Eric Holder gave on Monday to the American Bar Association. In it, the U.S. Attorney General outlined a series of steps to improve our justice system and make us smarter (rather than merely tougher) on crime. He addressed the inequities of mandatory-minimum sentences, called for greater funding for public defenders, and questioned the war on drugs. Sure, the speech was no silver bullet, but as this press release notes, it was a welcome vision.