Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - 9 Things You Should Know About Hillary Clinton's Plan To Reform Our Criminal Justice System

Our criminal justice system is out of balance.

Shortly after launching her campaign for president, Hillary Clinton delivered a speech at Columbia University about the inequities in our criminal justice system—and she laid out a broad plan for reform.

Here are 9 ways Hillary will reform our criminal justice system.

Unnecessary incarceration tears families apart. We need to reform mandatory minimum sentences and support mental health and drug treatment programs so that low-level, nonviolent offenders who stay clean can avoid prison.

" When people see that respect and trust are two-way streets, they're more likely to work hand-in-hand with law enforcement."

Policing has to be constitutional to be effective. Period. That's why Hillary is calling for smart policing strategies that will help rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, like:

Hillary believes police body cameras will go a long way to improve transparency and accountability on both sides of the lens.

" African American men are far more likely to be stopped and searched by police, charged with crimes, and sentenced to longer prison terms than white men—10 percent longer for the same crimes in the federal system."

We need to end to racial profiling once and for all—and prohibit law enforcement from relying on race in routine stops and investigations where there is no information linking a person to a crime.

Hillary will make new investments to ensure law enforcement officials are properly trained on issues like implicit bias, conflict resolution, and use of force so they're equipped to protect their own safety and the safety of others.

We need to reform mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines that keep nonviolent drug offenders in prison longer than they need to be. Hillary will give judges more discretion over sentencing, cut the mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders in half, and eliminate the disparity between sentences for crack and powder cocaine possession.

Our prison system is the federal government's responsibility—and shouldn't be contracted out to private corporations. As president, Hillary will close private prisons and immigrant detention centers.

Many job and housing applications require people to check a box if they have a criminal record. That closes opportunities for former prisoners. As president, Hillary will "ban the box" so that applicants for jobs with the federal government and federal contractors have an opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications before being asked about their criminal records.

Fixing our criminal justice system isn't enough—we have to address the underlying challenges that families face, like finding affordable child care and quality schools. That's why Hillary is fighting to raise incomes, make college affordable, and provide better economic opportunities for every American.

Hillary has fought inequality throughout her career. As a young attorney working for the Children's Defense Fund, she saw first hand how our legal system can sometimes fail those who need it most. And she has been been working to change that ever since.