Expanded Federal Clemency Rules: Another Step Toward Ending Mass Incarceration

NCTE applauds the Justice Department’s announcement that it will broaden the criteria for clemency for federal prisoners. The Obama Administration’s action means that up to 2,000 people convicted of nonviolent offenses have a shot at shortening draconian sentences. 

“This is another important step reflecting the growing bipartisan consensus that we lock up far too many people today for far too long, at tremendous human and fiscal cost,” said NCTE Director of Policy Harper Jean Tobin. 

NCTE was proud to recently publish “Standing with LGBT Prisoners: An Advocate’s Guide to Ending Abuse and Combating Imprisonment,” which focuses primarily on changing the conditions for LGBT and especially trans people inside prisons and jails. But we know that there is no such thing as a truly safe and decent prison for trans people, and far too many of our community are incarcerated.

WATCH: NCTE’s Mara Keisling on Obama’s LGBT Agenda

NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling and Advocate Magazine Editor-in-Chief Matt Breen joined the Melissa Harris-Perry show this past Sunday to discuss what’s next on the LGBT agenda in President Obama’s second term.

Notably, Keisling discussed the critical need for an inclusive approach to comprehensive immigration reform. She said, “there are zillions of DREAMer youth who are LGBT, and we want to make sure there is a pathway to citizenship for all immigrants including LGBT immigrants.”

Keisling also noted the continuing need for the Obama Administration to engage with LGBT advocacy groups around expanding access to Medicare particularly for transgender people.

Watch the full segment here.