Despite Backing of White House Faith Advisors, Prison Reform Bill Faces Uncertain Future

Josh Shepherd : Sep 10, 2018
Stream.org

The modest prison reforms in the First Step Act—including unshackling pregnant women—have broad coalition support. Yet the prison reform bill seems a fading priority with midterm elections looming.

[Stream.org] Late last week, President Donald Trump agreed with Senate leaders to table the First Step Act until after the midterm elections. The prison reform bill would incentivize those exiting prison to undergo substance abuse counseling and job training before reentering society, among other provisions. (Photo: Creative Commons/via Pixabay)

On Monday, President Trump briefly mentioned the bill when hosting a White House dinner for evangelical leaders. "We're advancing prison reform to give former inmates a second chance," he said when listing recent successes.

However, voices on both the right and left counter that prison reform currently is anything but a White House victory. The First Step Act passed the House 360-59 in May, yet has since stalled in the Senate.

Betrayal of Conservative Reformers?

Longtime justice reform advocate Mark Holden, chairman of Freedom Partners, called the delay "a major disappointment." He stated, "It's sad that members of both parties would rather play politics than work together to advance meaningful criminal justice reforms that we know work."

During an August 1 meeting at the White House, Bishop Harry Jackson, Pastor John Gray and others pressed for passage of the First Step Act. Pastor Paula White, chairwoman of the informal Faith Leaders Initiative, was also in attendance.

One prominent black minister later made headlines calling these faith leaders "Uncle Toms" after the meeting.

Now Rev. Jamal Bryant of Empowerment AME Temple in Baltimore, MD has softened his criticism. In a new Facebook video, he urges action. "There has got to be an immediate debate on the floor of the Senate," said Bryant.

He turned to address fellow black pastors. "You claim that you were there on divine assignment. Take that authority and move in it."

Jackson was among several pastors who spoke last Saturday at OneRace Stone Mountain, a prayer gathering centered on racial reconciliation. Despite the non-political nature of the event, he offered a brief response to critics.

"Right now, the white church is apathetic," said Jackson. "And the black church is bitter. Until their hypocritical selves get up off what we used to call ‘your ol' rusty dusty' and do something, don't hate me because I'm doing something."

A prominent voice on the White House faith advisory council, Jackson further pressed for passage of the bill in an op-ed last week in The Christian Post.

Why Christian Leaders Support the Bill

The First Step Act seeks to bring modest reforms to the costly, overcrowded U.S. prison system. American taxpayers spend $7 billion each year to lock up approx. 200,000 offenders. Those figures alone are not the only problem... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here.

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