The Cotton-Kennedy Amendments to the ‘Jailbreak Bill’ are Sensible – and Necessary

This week, the U.S. Senate will decide whether to give early release to large numbers of felons, including some convicted of violent crimes.

Surely, the “world’s greatest deliberative body” would reject such a dangerous idea. But senators won’t do much deliberating on this so-called “First Step Act” in the limited time available to debate this legislation during the present, lame-duck session.

The good news is that Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and John Kennedy of Louisiana have three amendments that would markedly improve this deeply flawed bill.  One would exclude child molesters and other violent criminals from early release. A second would track the effectiveness of programs designed to dissuade released felons from returning to lives of crime. And the third would notify victims before offenders are allowed out of jail early.

Memo to senators: The Cotton-Kennedy amendments are sensible – and necessary.