3 Ways the 1994 Crime Bill Continues to Hurt Communities of Color

July 24, 2024 | admin

(AMERICAN CENTER FOR PROGRESS) Ranya Shannon, August 24, 2020

This year marks the 25-year anniversary of the passage of the most sweeping crime bill in U.S. history—the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, also known as the crime bill. In many ways, this 350-page bill’s passage characterized the bipartisan tough-on-crime movement of the late 20th century. While the bill contained a handful of positive provisions such as increased accountability for law enforcement and new protections for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, it was also responsible for exacerbating racial disparities in criminal justice involvement.

As previous CAP work has pointed out, the bill contributed to ongoing rampant police misconduct and racial profiling by deploying hundreds of thousands of officers into neighborhoods of color, and it jeopardized reentry for returning people of color by eliminating their Pell Grant eligibility while in prison. The bill also expanded the use of the death penalty; imposed mandatory life sentences for individuals with three or more felony convictions; and levied harsh new penalties for justice-involved youth. Many of these harmful provisions remain in effect today and continue to target and destabilize communities of color. Here are three ways the 1994 crime bill continues to undermine the safety and well-being of communities of color:

Source: American Center for Progress, 3 Ways the 1994 Crime Bill Continues to Hurt Communities of Color

Related Articles

Legislation

Amidst the Darkness, a Few Bright Spots in the Fight Against Inequality

Read More
Legislation

Former Rikers detainees urge NYC officials to address sexual abuse in jail

Read More
Legislation

Pass Bills A4574-A and S1297-A to repeal Stock Transfer Tax Rebate (STTR)

Read More

Make NYC a better place –
sign up for our newsletter!