Criminal Justice Reform

Science Advisory Board/Justice Program

Rep. Dean understands that decision-makers need the most up-to-date data in order to govern effectively. For this reason, she introduced H.R. 3989, the Improving Justice Programs through Science Act of 2019. This bill would create a Science Advisory Board (the Board) at the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) within the Department of Justice. The Board would be responsible for integrating scientific knowledge into crime-reduction efforts. It would also guide the OJP’s grants, programs, and activities through research, data, and evidence.

PREP Act

Rep. Dean knows that education can be a pathway to opportunity. Along with the late Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), Rep. Dean introduced H.R. 2635, the Promoting Reentry through Education in Prisons (PREP) Act in the 116th Congress. The PREP Act ensures that incarcerated individuals receive the educational opportunities they need to successfully reenter their communities after completing their sentences — while also reducing recidivism. She will be reintroducing this legislation.

Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act

Rep. Dean is an original cosponsor of H.R. 1620, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. In the 25 years since VAWA’s original passage, domestic violence has decreased by 63%. H.R. 1620 expands protections for young victims, survivors without shelter, and LGBTQ people; the legislation also prevents “intimate partner” homicides by prohibiting those convicted of dating violence from possessing firearms. 

The bill passed the House and included Rep. Dean’s amendment from the 116th Congress which improves cross-agency collaboration to ensure that federal departments can coordinate on the prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as share best practices for supporting victims.

George Floyd Justice in Policing 

Over the past year, America has seen a social justice reckoning with the tragic killing of George Floyd and other Black Americans. The need to reform law enforcement practices and our criminal justice system is way past due.

That is why Rep. Dean is pleased to be an original cosponsor of The Justice in Policing Act which will make meaningful reforms, including: 

• establish a national standard for the operation of police departments;

• mandate data collection on police encounters;

• reprogram existing funds to invest in transformative community-based policing programs; and

• streamline federal law to prosecute excessive force and establish independent prosecutors for police investigations.

She joined her colleagues in passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and looks forward to continuing to advocate for its passage in the Senate.