January 30, 2005

Dear Mr. Wynn:

I do not know if you are aware of how many families in your district may be disadvantaged and burdened by having a family member serving a lengthy sentence in a federal prison. The economic and emotional strains on families can be enormous, while the benefits to communities remain unproven.

In the past, I wrote you about some of the problems my family has had visiting my husband locked up in Petersburg, Virginia. Your staffer called me and politely advised me that “there’s nothing anyone can do.” I spoke with him more generally about the misguided federal criminal policies that have resulted in record incarceration rates and sentences that are all out of proportion to offenses. He politely reiterated: No one is going to do anything about it. Now, Mr. Wynn, there are a number of things you and your colleagues can do about it.

First, the recent Supreme Court ruling on the sentencing guidelines potentially places the issue in the legislative arena. No doubt reactionary Members are working on bills to minimize the relief now due to individuals serving excessive terms. I urge you to work with more sensible allies to take this opportunity to enact genuine reforms – e.g., fully resting sentencing discretion in the courts and fact-finding bodies; restoring federal parole or other processes to return non-threatening people to their families and communities; increasing rehabilitative activities and values in the Bureau of Prisons. If relying on sound policy arguments does not give you the political cover you would like, there is a clear and appealing federal budget argument to be made. The number of federal prisoners, many of them non-violent and serving long sentences, is not fiscally sustainable. Long sentences increase the deficit.

Second, Congress in its oversight capacity should move the Bureau of Prisons away from its ridiculous position in current “good time” litigation. There is no justification to expend any public resources fighting the recent ruling recalculating good time, in this time of federal deficits, prison overcrowding, and budget cutbacks that will soon begin to threaten the health and safety of inmates and their keepers.

Mr. Wynn, you have constituents who need your advocacy and you have potential friends in the Congress on key committees. Please be a constructive part of conversations about sentencing and corrections reform. There is indeed, now, plenty you can do on our behalf.

Thank you,