Explore Candidates President Cynthia McKinney on Crime and Punishment

Cynthia McKinney on Crime and Punishment

The United States has the highest incarceration rate as well as the highest number of documented prisoners in the world. As such, how the United States defines crime and the terms of consequence for violations is an immensely important issue. This topic includes information about candidate positions on: the death penalty, hate crimes, drug policy, and mandatory minimum sentencing.
Cynthia McKinney strongly opposes the death penalty

McKinney co-sponsored H.R. 4923, the Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act.

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McKinney co-sponsored the Innocence Protection Act of 2001 to require DNA testing for all federal executions, to "reduce the risk that innocent persons may be executed, and for other purposes."

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"Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente call for abolition of the death penalty."

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Cynthia McKinney strongly supports hate crime legislation

McKinney co-sponsored the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2001 "To provide Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes."

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Cynthia McKinney strongly supports relaxing drug laws and/or drug enforcement

"We need an end to mandatory minimum drug sentences. We need a budget focused on prevention and treatment. The law should include legal regulation of drugs. We need legalization of industrial hemp as a cash crop. We need drug laws based on the truth…No non-violent drug offender should suffer permanent or temporary disfranchisement of voting and other citizenship rights due to entanglement in the current system of criminal injustice."

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Cynthia McKinney opposes mandatory minimum sentencing

"We need an end to mandatory minimum drug sentences."

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Cynthia McKinney strongly supports an increase in funds for drug rehabilitation as an alternative to prison

"We want an end to privatization of prisons and prison health services. We want an end to prison labor schemes that are little more than corporate subsidies that provide little training or rehabilitation for inmates. We want reconciliation, transformation, preparation, rather than incarceration based on retribution and vengeance."

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Voted YES on an amendment that would reduce the funding for violent offender imprisonment and truth-in-sentencing programs by $61 million. The measure would increase funding for Boys and Girls Clubs and drug courts by the same amount.

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"The victims are thrown into prisons, while the wealthy users and the big drug dealers get off scot-free. The rich who own stock in the prison-industrial complex, or the corporations that hire prison labor, are reaping hefty sums while everyone else is impoverished or families are ripped apart by imprisonment. This situation is intolerable and must be turned around! We need money for detoxification, rehabilitation, education--not incarceration."

Interview with "Reconstruction Renaissance" Jan 8, 2008

"Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente oppose privatization of prisons, which has created a new industry demanding increasing numbers of inmates for corporate profits. As a result of the Prison-Industrial Complex, the US incarcerates more citizens than any other country in the world.... They favor legalization of marijuana and medical treatment for drug use and abuse instead of prosecution."

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