HOME

ELECTIONS

PLATFORM

PRESS
RELEASES

ABOUT

COMMITTEES

STATES

CAUCUSES

NEWSCENTER

DONATE

VOLUNTEER

TAKE ACTION

REGISTER

ONLINE STORE

GREENLINE:

Subscribe to GreenLine to receive our email newsletter and other updates from GP.org.

GREEN LINKS:

Greens Worldwide
Global Greens
European Fed. of Green Parties
(Campaign Site)
Fed. of Green Parties of the Americas
Campus Greens Additional Links

Sitemap

II. Social Justice
H. Criminal Justice

Our criminal justice system fails to deliver justice. It offers more retribution and punishment than rehabilitation and leverage to return to society to be a productive citizen. Our prisons hold more than 2 million people, often for sentences totally disproportionate to the offense. Minorities and the poor are over-represented in the prison population and white collar criminals are given light sentences by comparison.

1. The Green Party supports:
   1. Repeal “3 strikes, you’re out” law.
   2. Repeal Sentencing Guidelines and restore sentencing to the judge’s discretion within a boundary that makes the penalty proportional to the crime.
   3. Expand Parole to prisoners who have served half their sentence and who have a good record in the prison system. prisoners on parole must be allowed to vote.
   4. Repeal Pres. Bush’s law (Patriot Act) that allows detention of any targeted person suspected of terrorist activity or association, and restore 4 Amendment to the Constitution.

2. Access to Justice; repeal or lessen definition of criminal acts.
   1. All detained, accused or arrested persons must be told the charge at time of arrest and must have access to a lawyer when arraigned..
   2. All non-violent and victimless crime should be classified as misdemeanor.
   3. Legalize planting, growing, harvesting, use and sale of Marijuana.
   4. Make medical marijuana a prescription drug that doctors may prescribe to their patients.
   5. The “war on drugs” has failed in its purpose for 60 yrs. US security officers are often complicit in the drug market. Funding the drug war must be ended immediately by the US Congress.
   6. Legalize growing, harvesting, distributing and marketing of Hemp.
   7. First Amendment rights of prisoners must not be revoked. Freedom to speak to journalists, to write letters to people outside the prison and to study legal procedures from law books in the prison library.
   8. Prisoners must be allowed to vote by absentee ballot and when released, have the right to vote and to run for office.

3. Education in Prison
   1. Enact a law that requires all prisons to offer high school (GED) classes, College courses and technical training to all prisoners. Guarantee all prisoners the right to use the prison library and to order magazines, journals or books.
   2. Include in this law a program for educated prisoners to tutor uneducated prisoners.

4. The Green Party opposes private prisons:
   1. All private prisons must be returned to federal or state ownership and management.
   2. No contracting out of any police services. Maximum security prisons must be owned and managed by the Federal government and their intense severity reduced.

5. Prison management:
   1. All prisoners must have the right to file a complaint for abuse to a civilian complaint review board with sub poena power.
   2. Warden or guard abuse of prisoners and violation of their rights is a serious offense. Offending officers must be suspended without pay and fired when found guilty by the civilian complaint review board.
   3. No prisoner may be kept in solitary confinement for more than 12 hrs. a day.
   4. Prison household services such as preparing food, cleaning, laundry, gardening, and repair of fixtures must be performed by the prison inmates under direction of prison institution employees. Only medical and other professional services (e.g. electricians) may be contracted out.
6. Police performance in the society.
   1. Enact strict gun control laws nationwide and restrict Police use of guns and all forms of control weapons.
   2. Restraining weapons and methods such as pepper spray, taser guns, stun belts, gas, choke holds and tight hand cuffs are greatly over-used.. States must pass legislation that reduce and restrict police possession and use of such methods of control.
   3. Police are paid for by citizens taxes. Fines put on police convicted of brutality, does not fall within that tax obligation.
   4. Police found guilty of excessive violence or brutal acts shall not be indemnified and must pay half the compensation awarded to the victims.