The ACLU joined a coalition letter on April 21, 2020 expressing support for a technical amendment to the First Step Act to give people in prison on “old law” offenses equal access to compassionate release. The letter highlights the situation of a couple of hundred “old law” federal prisoners serving sentences for federal crimes committed before parole was abolished in the federal system, urging Congress to allow them the same consideration for compassionate release that the First Step Act gives “new law” prisoners. The letter calls for the inclusion of this technical amendment in the next COVID-19 Stimulus bill to allow this small group of elderly and particularly vulnerable individuals to access to the First Step Act’s compassionate release process.”
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