Christie Wins Plaudits For Criminal Justice Proposals

“Chris Christie Calls For ‘Fresh Approach’ To Criminal Justice”

Governor Christie Christie Called “For Changes To Bail, Policing And How Courts Handle Addicts” And “Pointed To His Own Record In New Jersey As A Path Forward”

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Headlines…

“GOP Candidate Chris Christie Calls For Changes To Bail, Policing And How Courts Handle Addicts”

– The Associated Press

“Chris Christie Returns To One Of America’s Most Violent Cities To Talk Crime”

– The Daily Caller

“Christie: Imprison Drug Sellers, Not Drug Buyers”

– CNN

“Chris Christie Calls For Criminal Justice Overhaul”

– The Wall Street Journal

“Chris Christie Calls For ‘Fresh Approach’ To Criminal Justice”

– Politico

“Christie Pitches Crime & Drug Addiction Plan At 2016 Campaign Stop In Camden”

– The Star-Ledger

“Christie Advocates National Drug Courts, Community Policing”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

“In Camden, Christie Outlines Criminal Justice Reforms”

– The Record

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What They’re Saying…

The Hill: “Christie touted a slew of policing initiatives in his state ...” (Jesse Byrnes, “Christie calls for criminal justice reform,” The Hill, 7/16/15)

• “Christie underscored a focus on community outreach, more officers on the streets and investment in new technology, such as real-time monitoring of cameras and microphones to pinpoint gunshot locations. “

Politico: “Chris Christie, decrying the large number of Americans in prison, on Thursday said it’s time to fix what he called ‘a broken criminal justice system.’” (Eliza Collins, “Chris Christie Calls For ‘Fresh Approach’ To Criminal Justice,” Politico, 7/16/15)

• “Specifically, Christie pointed to his own record in New Jersey as a path forward. He said New Jersey’s drug court program works, calling it a policy that keeps people out of prison and saves money. He said if he becomes president he will replicate it on the national level.”

WNYC: “[T]he policy proposals he delved into Thursday were some of the most substantive of any candidate so far on criminal justice issues” (Matt Katz, “Christie Returns To Camden, His National Model For Criminal Justice Reform,” WNYC, 7/16/15)

• “America's most dangerous city has been a major focus of Gov. Chris Christie's time in office. He has returned to Camden time and again, more than anywhere else other than the Statehouse in Trenton, highlighting tax breaks for new businesses, the state takeover of the school system and the dismantling of the city police department.”
• “And while the city continues to be beset by poverty and crime, there are signs of progress: with just 13 homicides so far this year, Camden is on pace to have the fewest murders on record since 2001.”

The Daily Caller: “Christie often frames his views on criminal justice reform as a pro-life issue.” (Alex Pappas, “Chris Christie Returns To One Of America’s Most Violent Cities To Talk Crime,” Daily Caller, 7/16/15)

The Star-Ledger: “Calling for ‘a fresh approach’ on fighting crime and tackling drug addiction, Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday offered his proposal for changing the criminal justice system across the nation.” (Matt Arco, “Christie Pitches Crime & Drug Addiction Plan At 2016 Campaign Stop In Camden,” Star-Ledger, 7/16/15)

• “In a presidential campaign stop, the governor proposed ideas to improve relationships between police forces and urban communities, and advocated giving nonviolent drug offenders a better shot at rebuilding their lives. All the while, he pointed to Camden as a national model for police departments operating in poor, crime-ridden cities across the country.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Gov. Christie on Thursday called for broad changes to the criminal justice system, using his record in New Jersey - and Camden in particular - as a platform for his presidential campaign.”  (Andrew Seidman, “Christie Advocates National Drug Courts, Community Policing,” The Philadelphia Inquirer , 7/16/15)

• “Christie also urged more states to change their bail laws so that nonviolent offenders aren't trapped in ‘debtors' prisons’ - stuck in jail only because they can't afford to post bond - and to ensure that judges can deny bail to certain dangerous defendants before trial.”
• “Jabir Taylor, 30, who lives in the Hope Hall halfway house in Camden, said Christie's message of giving people second chances resonated with him. ‘I'm one of the guys he was speaking to,’ he said.”

The Record: “In a 41-minute speech at a gym in Camden … Christie detailed a policy that emphasizes rehabilitation over what he called an ‘armored fist.’ And he said many of the efforts he’s led in New Jersey, like bail reform and mandatory drug courts, can and should be replicated nationwide.” (Dustin Racioppi, “In Camden, Christie Outlines Criminal Justice Reforms,” The Record, 7/16/15)

• “And though Christie is not alone in his position that reform is necessary, he is the first presidential candidate to lay out a specific plan to do so.”
• “Christie, instead, offered his six years as governor as the measure of his investment in fighting crime in a smarter, more compassionate way.”
• “While Christie focused heavily on making the criminal justice system more compassionate – he referenced God at least four times – he also promised tougher penalties for violent criminals. He said he will fight to keep those offenders ‘behind bars and out of our neighborhoods.’”

Asbury Park Press: “[Christie’s] message resonated with Angel Cordero, a Camden school activist who served as a cheerleader during Christie’s appearance. ‘I was a drug dealer,’ acknowledged Cordero, who said he learned the value of education in prison. ‘Everything he said, it’s all true. The only person who gave me a second chance was that great man,’ said Cordero, noting he had a front-row seat at Christie’s first inauguration.” (Jim Walsh, “Christie: Camden Police A Model For Nation,” Asbury Park Press, 7/16/15)

• “Bryan Morton, praised by Christie as the founder of the North Camden Little League, noted he also overcame a criminal record. ‘As an ex-offender, you kind of wear a scarlet letter,’ said the North Camden man, a one-time drug offender. ‘It’s a really difficult path.’”
• “‘Hearing him speak about this, it not only touched my heart but it brought a sense of true validation,’ Morton said. ‘We want what everyone wants. But that gets all turned upside down because of a decision you made 20 years ago.’”

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): “Chris Christie during his leadership has shown that you can lower crime and lower the prison population … They're directly related to each other.” (Jonathan D. Salant, “Booker Praises Obama & Christie On Criminal Justice,” Star-Ledger, 7/16/15)

The Record: “That sort of holistic approach is just what the nation needs more of right now, and what more and more public officials seem to be discovering.” (Editorial, “Criminal justice,” The Record, 7/16/15)

• “Christie, a former federal prosecutor, has been sounding the call for a more practical approach to criminal justice for some time. As governor, he has pushed for more addiction treatment and ‘non-custodial’ sentencing options and expanded the drug courts program.”
• “In Camden, Christie spoke eloquently about the importance of helping those coming out of prison rebuild their lives, and about such programs at NJSTEP, where universities offer college courses to qualified incarcerated students.”