Andrew Yang Policy on RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS

[WeekiWater]

1. He has a lot of good ideas in this area and they all center around ending mass incarceration...

and lowering the rate of recidivism. Successfully reintegrating people into society and giving them a fighting chance. Giving them the tools to succeed. We have to go from our overall punitive system to a rehabilitative one. It's a national mindset that must change.

REDUCE MASS INCARCERATION

America imprisons a HIGHER PERCENTAGE of its citizens than almost any other country in the world, and MINORITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED in this group. Incarceration doesn’t just set someone back for the time they’re imprisoned; with our current felony laws, they follow someone throughout their life.

Mandatory minimum laws, the war on drugs, and other misguided policy decisions over the years passed by politicians with an eye towards being “tough on crime” have resulted in a glut of Americans behind bars. Instead of focusing on what sounds or feels good, we should focus on results. While individuals should be punished for committing crimes, the end goal should be to prevent people from committing crimes, and to lower recidivism rates for those who are convicted.

Outside of my social policies such as Universal Basic Income, which will eliminate poverty and thus reduce one common driver of crime, there are many things we can do to ensure the safety of Americans by preventing people from becoming criminals.

Review the current mandatory minimum laws to bring them in line with what data shows us is effective
Shift federal drug policy away from punishment and towards treatment
End the use of for-profit, private prisons
Fund programs targeted at reducing recidivism and increasing reintegration
Push for a reconsideration of the harshness of our felony laws, including an investigation into any civil rights issues raised by the disproportionate amount of minorities convicted of these crimes

Yang2020

K&R