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Hoping for a presidential town hall on crime and punishment

By Douglas A. Berman

I view John McCain's proposed weekly town hall debates as a fantastic idea, and one that ought to help ensure that some crime and punishment issues get discussed during the campaign.  Indeed, I am hoping that somehow one of the town halls will be focused specifically on crime and punishment issues (and perhaps include Libertarian candidate Bob Barr, who says he wants in). In a number of prior posts (e.g., here and here), I have highlighted a variety of questions that should be presented to the candidates.  i am not sure how to make sure these question come up in a town hall setting, bu here are a few more very simple ones that merit answers (and could be very revealing): What is your view of the President's clemency power and how might you utilize this power during your administration? What is your view of the death penalty and do you think the President has an important role in making sure state administration of this punishment is fair and effective? What is your view of the record incarceration rate in the United States and do you think the President has an important role in doing something about mass incarceration? Some related posts on Campaign 2008: How the media can do better: ask the candidates tough crime and punishment questions FAMM suggests sentencing questions for the candidates Is ignorance bliss as Campaign 2008 ignores crime and punishment issues? Stuntz nails (some) reasons why Democrats are perhaps most responsible for modern mass incarceration Aren't extreme sentences and mass incarceration a "tired philosophy that trusts in government more than people"? Politics and the war on drugs What will the new libertarian presidential candidate say about mass incarceration and the drug war? Is there growing public concern with sentencing and prison reform? Will the 2008 Prez candidates ever seriously discuss modern incarceration realities?continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on June 06, 2008 (boomark / email).