JUSTICE in D.C. Act

Key Points

• This bill would cancel two District of Columbia laws that allow some people in prison to ask a judge for a shorter sentence. These laws currently apply to people who committed crimes when they were young and have already served a significant amount of time.
• Instead of allowing sentence reductions, the bill creates a new grant program. The D.C. government would give up to $200,000 a year to groups that help victims of violent crimes with things like mental health care, legal advocacy, and finding jobs.
• The goal of the bill is to keep people in prison for their full original sentences while shifting government focus toward supporting survivors. It targets specific D.C. policies that the bill sponsors believe are too lenient on violent offenders.
• If passed, these changes would start in 2026. It would mainly affect people currently serving long sentences in D.C. and the organizations that provide support services to crime victims.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.