I’m the Republican architect of the First Step Act. Ron DeSantis is wrong about the bill

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Opinion
I’m the Republican architect of the First Step Act. Ron DeSantis is wrong about the bill
Opinion
I’m the Republican architect of the First Step Act. Ron DeSantis is wrong about the bill

Last week, presidential candidate Gov.
Ron DeSantis
(R-FL) vowed to repeal one of former President Donald Trump’s most prominent achievements, the First Step Act, and called it a “jailbreak bill.”

As a former congressman from
Georgia
who remains immersed in electoral politics, I understand why DeSantis felt the need to take aim at his highest-profile opponent. But as the author of the First Step Act, a proud conservative Republican, and a political strategist with an interest in
Republican
wins up and down the ticket next November, I found his choice of ammunition both puzzling and plain wrong.


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The First Step Act was a product of collaboration between public safety leaders and agencies, victims’ rights organizations, stakeholders in our state legislatures, and everyday Americans who are impacted by the criminal justice system. That’s why it was supported by the vast majority of Republicans in both chambers of Congress, including DeSantis himself.

Then my colleague in Congress, DeSantis voted yes on the version of the bill I authored and sponsored in the House, H.R. 5682, along with 224 of our other Republican colleagues.

In fact, in designing the First Step Act, our goal was central to the Republican vision of a safe and prosperous America. We sought to increase public safety, reduce recidivism, and provide a pathway to opportunity for those who had made mistakes but were willing to reform their lives and behaviors. In doing so, taxpayer money could be more efficiently used to support our law enforcement officers and reduce violent crime.

And we succeeded.

Since its passage, the First Step Act has delivered tangible results in every single one of those areas, with impressive results. Today, the overall recidivism rate of people released from federal facilities is 43%, which means nearly half of people leaving federal prison will commit another crime after being released. On the other hand, the recidivism rate of people who have gone through the First Step programming and met the tough conditions laid out in the legislation is just a fraction of that — 12.4%.

It’s simple: less crime means safer communities.

And since this group of people earns their second chance sooner, they’re also spending fewer days and nights in taxpayers’ federal prisons, which means Americans are paying less and getting more out of their justice system. Tens of thousands of successful First Step Act beneficiaries are back at work, easing a national workforce crisis, earning a living, boosting businesses, and contributing to their communities.

In the reality of an election cycle, candidate DeSantis will have to distinguish himself from his opponents, including the former president. But he, and all other Republican candidates, would be wise to aim more strategically in the future. A winning candidate can and should avoid bad information, tired tropes, fear, and misguided campaign appeals thrust upon them by advisors who haven’t updated their political playbook since the Clinton era.

Our voters, both primary and general, continue to make it clear that they want stronger economies and safer communities. Republicans have been at the forefront of delivering both at every level of government and shouldn’t shy away from the accomplishments and results we’ve gained along the way — let alone discard them in specious talking points.


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While tough-on-crime rhetoric has long been a campaign staple, so has the Republican tradition of delivering real-life results that embolden Americans to pursue their fullest potential, and the latter is what consistently wins us elections. Any candidate can play tough. The Democratic opponents we’ll face in every race over the next year and a half will try to be tough, too. Only Republicans can play smart, and back it up with policies that work.

The First Step Act has made our communities safer, expanded our workforce during a labor shortage, and saved taxpayers money in the process. There is nothing more conservative or Republican than that, and it’s time for our candidates to deliver messaging that reflects the real, effective outcomes we so consistently achieve. Our republic deserves no less.

Doug Collins is an American lawyer and former U.S. representative for Georgia.

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