Home Public AffairsPolitics Voters way ahead of politicians on criminal justice reform

Voters way ahead of politicians on criminal justice reform

by
criminal justice reform

In the wake of the 2018 midterms, one clear winner was criminal justice reform. Several state ballot measures reforming the criminal justice system passed decisively.

These reforms include Floridians’ restoration of the right to vote for people with felony convictions, Louisianians’ abolition of convictions based on non-unanimous jury verdicts, Washington State voters’ successful efforts to make police more accountable for their actions, and Coloradans’ removal of language from their state constitution allowing prisoners to work without pay.

The fact that these efforts all occurred at the state level by popular referenda rather than federal/legislative action is no coincidence.

Daniel Gotoff and Celinda Lake, Lake Research Partners

Our research has for years shown that the voters are way ahead of the politicians when it comes to criminal justice reform. Politicians will either help lead the way or face the consequences of voter backlash.

Read more about our research findings here.

You may also like

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

The Washington DC 100