The Sentencing Reform and CORRECTIONS Act, S. 2123, is a strongly bipartisan piece of legislation that passed out of the Judiciary Committee with an overwhelming 15-5 vote. But Mitch McConnell has not yet brought it to a vote on the Senate floor. The only way he will bring it to a vote is if he hears other Senators demanding it, and those Senators will only tell him to bring it to a vote if their constituents- that’s you- express to them how important the Sentencing Reform and CORRECTIONS Act is to you.

This week, Congress is in full negotiations regarding re-authorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA). Youth who are locked up are separated from their families, and many witness or experience violence. These youth struggle when they get out, trying to complete high school, get jobs, housing, or go to college. The Act requires states to keep youth separated from adults prior to trial as well as in prison, invests in alternatives to incarceration, and provides youth support necessary for successful rehabilitation and re-entry into their communities — among many other important functions.