April 30, 2012 The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: On behalf of a broad coalition of criminal justice, local government and citizens organizations, we are writing to strongly encourage you to establish a national commission to study the criminal justice system. It is our firm belief that the United States needs a commission that is tasked with conducting a comprehensive examination of all aspects of the criminal justice system including, but not limited to, the prevention of crime, law enforcement, corrections, and offender re entry. We are all in agreement that the time is now for this commission. We urge you to establish a commission that would mirror the model proposed in legislation introduced by Sen. Jim Webb (D VA): the National Criminal Justice Commission Act. All of the organizations listed below support Sen. Webb s legislation and believe it is a good model for moving forward. This new commission would follow in the footsteps of the 1965 Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, which was also established via executive order. The work of that commission and the 200 recommendations it produced marked the beginning of a sea change in our methods for dealing with crime and the public and built the framework for many of the highly effective law enforcement, public safety, and criminal justice initiatives that have been in place for the last 45 years. Our society has changed dramatically since 1965, and our criminal justice practices and strategies are vastly different than they were when the Johnson Commission began its work. The improvements we have made in our criminal justice system in the last 45 years are a direct result of the work of the President s Commission. We are better, more professionalized, and smarter about how to combat crime, build community relationships and expectations, and protect our nation s streets, neighborhoods, and schools. For far too long our nation s criminal justice system has lacked a strategic plan that will guide an integrated public safety, criminal justice, and homeland security effort in the years ahead. We cannot continue to take a piecemeal approach to criminal justice; the costs of doing so are beyond what any of us can imagine. We can no longer wait; the time is now. Thank you for your consideration and we stand ready to assist you in any way possible. Sincerely,
Carl Wiklund Executive Director, American Probation and Parole Association David LaBahn President/CEO, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys Walter A. McNeil President, International Association of Chiefs of Police Chief, Quincy, Florida Police Department Charles H. Ramsey President, Major Cities Chiefs Association Commissioner, Philadelphia Police Department Rich Stanek President, Major County Sheriffs Association Sheriff, Hennepin County Minnesota Larry E. Naake Executive Director, National Association of Counties
Ann M. Harkins President/CEO, National Crime Prevention Council Cabell Cropper Executive Director, The National Criminal Justice Association Donald J. Borut Executive Director, National League of Cities Ronald E. Brooks President, National Narcotics Officers Association Coalition Director, Northern CA Regional Intelligence Center and HIDTA Joseph C. Akers, Jr. Interim Executive Director, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives Paul H. Fitzgerald President, National Sheriffs Association Sheriff, Story County Iowa
Charles H. Ramsey President, Police Executive Research Forum Commissioner, Philadelphia Police Department Cc: VPOTUS & AG About these organizations: The American Probation and Parole Association is an international association composed of members from the United States, Canada and other countries actively involved with probation, parole and community based corrections, in both adult and juvenile sectors. All levels of government including local, state/provincial, legislative, executive, judicial, and federal agencies are counted among its constituents. By taking the initiative, APPA has grown to become the voice for thousands of probation and parole practitioners including line staff, supervisors and administrators. Educators, volunteers and concerned citizens with an interest in criminal and juvenile justice are also among APPA's members. APPA will continue to effectively provide services to its constituents. The association represents a strong, unified voice for the field of community corrections. The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) was founded as a national "think tank" to represent all prosecutors and provide additional resources such as training and technical assistance in an effort to develop proactive innovative prosecutorial practices that prevent crime, ensure equal justice and make our communities safer. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is the world s oldest and largest association of law enforcement executives. Founded in 1893, the IACP has more than 21,000 members in 100 countries. The Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) is a professional association of Chiefs and Sheriffs representing the largest cities in the United States and Canada. MCCA membership is comprised of Chiefs and Sheriffs of the sixty three largest law enforcement agencies in the United States and seven largest in Canada. They serve over 76.5 million people (68 US 8.5 Canada) with a sworn workforce of 177,150 (159,300 US, 17,850 Canada) officers and non sworn personnel. The purpose of the MCCA is: to influence national public policy on law enforcement matters; to enhance the development of current and future leaders; and to encourage and sponsor research.
The Major County Sheriffs Association (MCSA) is a professional law enforcement association of elected sheriffs representing counties or parishes with 500,000 population or more. We are dedicated to preserving the highest integrity in law enforcement and the elected Office of the Sheriff. Our membership represents over 100 million Americans. MCSA works to promote a greater understanding of law enforcement strategies to address futures problems and identify law enforcement challenges facing the members of our organization. We are committed to advancing legislative issues that will enhance the safety of our communities. MCSA also aggressively pursues the development of innovative education along with prevention and enforcement strategies and programs. We believe that law enforcement and criminal justice organizations benefit greatly by having a forum in which to share ideas, concepts and resources. The MCSA facilitates that process by serving as a law enforcement information gathering resource. The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, celebrating its 75 th Anniversary in 2010, NACo provides essential services to the nation s 3,068 counties. NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public's understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value added services to save counties and taxpayers money. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) founded in 1982, is the nation s nonprofit leader in crime prevention. For 30 years, our recognizable icon McGruff the Crime Dog has delivered easy to use crime prevention tips that empower citizens to individually and collectively keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime. Together with a vast network of local and state law enforcement agencies, local community groups, foundations, and corporate partners, NCPC makes an impact on personal and community safety. The National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) is the voice of the criminal justice community in Washington, DC. NCJA works to promote a balanced approach to communities complex public safety and criminal justice system problems. NCJA members are the state, territorial and tribal administrators of federal justice assistance grant funding, as well as policy makers and practitioners from all parts of the criminal and juvenile justice systems. In their role as administrators, they oversee planning and administration of crime prevention and suppression initiatives across their states and the justice system. They demonstrate, test, and share best practices in all facets of the justice system including: law enforcement, pre trial services, courts, corrections, reentry, substance abuse treatment, juvenile delinquency prevention, and information sharing. The National League of Cities is the nation s oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. National Narcotics Officers Association Coalition (NNOAC) is comprised of individual state narcotic associations representing more than 65,000 narcotic law enforcement officers. NNOAC actively researchers, monitors and supports legislative initiatives designed
to increase the effectiveness of narcotic law enforcement and law enforcement in general. The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) was founded in September, 1976, during a three day symposium to address crime in urban low income areas. The symposium was co sponsored by the Police Foundation and the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA). NOBLE is committed to equity in matters related to law enforcement, its mission to ensure equity in the administration of justice and its unyielding commitment to work towards the elimination of racism and bias of any type within the law enforcement field. This includes a commitment to equal treatment in the administration of justice and within the law enforcement field for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression. The National Sheriffs Association (NSA) is the one of largest association of law enforcement professionals in the United States, representing the 3,079 elected sheriffs across the nation, and a total membership of more than 20,000. NSA is a non profit organization dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among sheriffs, their deputies, and others in the field of criminal justice and public safety. Throughout its seventy one year history, NSA has served as an information clearinghouse for sheriffs, deputies, chiefs of police, other law enforcement professionals, state governments and the federal government. NSA also provides management training for sheriffs and their command personnel at the National Sheriffs Institute and through other innovative programs, workshops, and seminars. The National Sheriffs' Association, located in Alexandria, Virginia, also oversees the highly successful Triad Program and Neighborhood Watch. Founded in 1976, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) is a police research organization and a provider of high quality management services, technical assistance, and executive level education to support law enforcement and the criminal justice system. As a private, nonprofit organization, PERF was formed to improve the delivery of police services through the exercise of strong national leadership; public debate of police and criminal justice issues; research and policy development; and the provision of vital management and leadership services to police agencies.