Officials from the state's executive, judicial and legislative branches formed a new task force to try and overhaul Delaware’s criminal codes and sentencing guidelines.
Chairman Sen. Harris McDowell (D-Wilmington North) describes it as a “system in failure."
“Something is radically wrong when a nation that has one of the best public education systems in the world has to end up with such a high percentage of their population involved in criminality," McDowell said.
He says the comprehensive approach may be too ambitious to affect “sweeping reform” in the First State’s criminal justice system. But he hopes they could make smaller changes.
The group will focus on disproportionate, redundant and outdated laws. Attorney General Matt Denn (D), who proposed sentencing reforms of his own last month, says the process needs to be transparent.
“When you’re talking about things that should or should not be criminalized or what sentences should go with things those are subjective judgments that need to be made by legislators and other people who are accountable to voters in an open way,” Denn said.
At the end of 2014, federal data shows about 740 of every 100,000 people in Delaware were in prison. That's one of the worst per capita incarceration rates in the country.
Any recommendations the new task force comes up with will be due to the General Assembly by May 1 next year.
