Loeffler, Colleagues: Prisons Should Not Address Coronavirus by Releasing Violent Criminals

Senators Thank U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr for his Leadership on the Issue

ATLANTA, GA – U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and 27 of her Senate colleagues voiced their support for U.S. Attorney General William Barr’s efforts to prioritize public safety as the Department of Justice seeks to address the consequences of the coronavirus in federal prisons.
 
In a letter to Barr, the group also asked the U.S. Department of justice (DOJ) to provide guidance as the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) uses emergency authority granted in the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Stability (CARES) Act to adjust prison populations by moving some inmates to home confinement.
 
“We understand that BOP is responding to address the impact of COVID-19 on correctional officers and inmates, and DOJ is using its authorities to allow for individualized releases at specific facilities and for specific inmates, bearing in mind an inmate’s specific health and criminal history, risk assessment, rehabilitative efforts, and outside support,” the senators wrote. “Nevertheless, some are attempting to use the COVID-19 pandemic to advance their political agenda by calling for a moratorium on the arrest and incarceration of certain criminals or by encouraging the release of many violent offenders who are serving lawful sentences in federal and state jails and prisons, without fully taking into account the potential public safety ramifications of such actions on communities grappling with this national public health emergency.
 
“We have serious concerns about the release of potentially dangerous individuals into communities during a declared national emergency and at a time when law enforcement must remain focused on preventing increased criminal activity arising from this crisis, such as cybercrime, scams, fraud, and domestic violence.”
 
Loeffler was joined in sending the letter by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), as well as Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Thune (R-SD), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mike Braun (R-IN), James Inhofe (R-OK), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Pat Roberts (R-KS), David Perdue (R-GA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Hoeven (R-ND), Shelly Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Steve Daines (R-MT).
 
The full text of the letter can be read here.