Mission Statement
To express conservative support for a proposed Under 21 Reform bill. To inform, centralize and organize information for the public on this matter. To ensure this needed reform is led by responsible leadership. Making sure this needed change is guided by responsible conservative leadership, and identifying which of our elected GOP officials are in support of our movement.
Points & Perspectives
Points
- This Bill Under 21 does NOT provide an automatic release for any prisoners.
- This bill recognizes the severity of the crimes and punishes those at the upper end of the scale for such crimes. Mandating they serve 25 and 30 years before even being considered for parole does NOT remove their (Life Sentences).
- Science has proven and is uncontested, that people under 21 have undeveloped brains regarding consequential thinking and are less culpable.
- This group has the highest statistical rate for rehabilitation.
- This bill is not about releasing violent criminals. It is about convincing violent criminals to change and influencing others to do so.
- This bill is a part of a larger plan to create a base for rehabilitative behavior environments in prison to aid in stemming prison crime culture (prisonization) and lowering the crime rate (recidivism) in our society in Arkansas.
Perspectives
The following are perspectives that were expressed to us by different conservative types and groups interviewed who all agree on the need for this bill but expressed different reasons and concerns about it. We have collectively put together their insight and words summed up in the statements below.
This Site:
Our stance on crime is not one absolute method but is based on utility, effectiveness, morality, and common sense. We believe that the death penalty should be an option for justice. We believe we should be tough on crime in an effective manner that makes sense. We also believe that if a method increases crime or creates more victims then it should be changed as it is not effective, has no utility, and does not make sense. The purpose of this law change is not to give people in prison who, through their own actions lost their rights, and are now gifted a second chance. But instead to make necessary changes in our justice system that makes more sense and meets moral standards to help attack criminal culture in our prison system and in our community. To create a platform for reducing recidivism that will also aid in decreasing crime in general all while stopping new victimization.
Corrections:
This is where we work, our safety is on the line. This is a tool we should have on our side. Encouraging these young inmates with the longest sentences to change makes the environment we work in safer. These Lifers have more influence over other inmates than anyone else. Every one of them you change has a lasting effect on others here. The larger the number the overall result and the safer we are at work and the safer everyone else will be in society. Do the math and give us the tools we need to do our job.
Conservative Christians:
Forgiveness and redemption are inescapable, a fundamental part of our Christian faith. Crimes must be punished, and the people must be held responsible for their actions, but it is against doctrine to suggest that people are irredeemable or beyond the healing power of Jesus Christ. Giving young people a second chance late in life after paying for their sins shows God’s Justice and mercy. The idea that these men and women are irredeemable does not hold to biblical teachings.
Matthew 25: 34-46
Hebrew 13:3
Ezekiel 18:21-23, 25-31
Academics:
At this point, there is no valid argument against the science. We know that people under 21 simply do not have fully developed brains with regard to consequential reasoning. There are just some people holding to dated ideas about punishing some people that we know probably deserve a second chance and would do us all some good if we gave it to them.
Exhibits
Current Arkansas Laws
Acknowledging people Under 21 Having Limited Thinking
AR Const. Art. 5, § 4. General Assembly members–Requirements
No person shall be a Senator or Representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, nor anyone who has not been for two years next preceding his election, a resident of this state, and for one year next preceding his election, a resident of this country or district whence he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age.
A.C.A § 16-90-801.
Subchapter 8. Sentencing Guidelines, Statement of purposes
(a) PURPOSES OF SENTENCING. The primary purposes of sentencing a person convicted of a crime are:
(1) To punish an offender commensurate with the nature and extent of the harm caused by the offense, taking into account factors that may diminish or increase an offender’s culpability;
A.C.A § 9-27-306.
Subchapter 3. Juvenile Code, Jurisdiction
(a)(1) The circuit court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction of and shall be the sole court for the following proceedings governed by this subchapter, including without limitation:
(A)(i) Proceeding in which a juvenile is alleged to be delinquent as defined in this subchapter, including juveniles ten (10) to eighteen (18) years of age.
(ii) The court may retain jurisdiction of a juvenile delinquent up to twenty-one (21) years of age if the juvenile committed the delinquent act before reaching eighteen (18) years of age;
A.C.A § 3-3-203. Purchase or possession by minor
(a)(1) It is unlawful for any person under twenty-one (21) years of age to purchase or have in his or her possession any intoxicating liquor, wine, or beer.
A.C.A § 3-3-202. Knowingly furnishing or selling to minor
(a)(1)(A) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to give, procure, or otherwise furnish any alcoholic beverage or a confectionary containing between five-tenths of one percent (0.5%) and five percent (5%) alcohol by volume to any person under twenty-one (21) years of age.
A.C.A § 3-3-204. Handling by minor
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) or subsection (c) of this section, it is unlawful for a wholesaler, retailer, or transporter of alcoholic beverages to allow an employee or any other person under twenty-one (21) years of age to have anything to do with the selling, transporting, or handling of an alcoholic beverage.
A.C.A § 5-27-227. Providing minors with tobacco products, vapor products, alternative nicotine products, e-liquid products, and cigarette papers–Purchase, use, or possession prohibited–Self-service displays prohibited–Placement of tobacco vending machines
(m)(1) As used in this section, “minor” means a person who is under twenty-one (21) years of age.
A.C.A § 5-27-502. Manufacture, etc., fraudulent IDs
(a) It is unlawful for a person to:
(1) Manufacture or produce a fraudulent personal identification document for the purpose of providing a person under twenty-one (21) years of age identification that can be used for the purpose of purchasing an alcoholic beverage or other substance or material restricted for adult purchase or possession in accordance with existing law;
A.C.A § 27-51-1604. Restrictions on drivers at least 18 years of age but under 21 years of age
(a)(1) Except as provided under subsection (b) of this section, a driver of a motor vehicle who is at least eighteen (18) years of age but under twenty-one (21) years of age shall not use a wireless telecommunication device for wireless interactive communication while operating a motor vehicle.
A.C.A § 16-22-201.
Chapter 22. Attorneys at Law, Admission to practice
(a) Every citizen of the age of twenty-one (21) years, of good moral character, and who possesses the required qualifications of learning and the ability may, upon application and in the manner provided for in this subchapter, be admitted to practice as an attorney and counselor at law in the courts of this state.
A.C.A § 17-40-337.
Chapter 40. Private Security Agency, Private Investigator, and School Security Licensing and Credentialing Act,–Applicant qualifications
(a) A commission as a commissioned security officer or a commissioned school security officer shall not be issued under this chapter to an individual who:
(1) Is under twenty-one (21) years of age;
A.C.A § 20-22-707 Subchapter 7. Fireworks License,–Application and issuance
(2) No permit or license shall be issued to a person under twenty-one (21) years of age.
A.C.A § 17-82-304. Dentist,–Application requirements
(b) An applicant:
(1) Shall:
(A) Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age;
A.C.A § 17-39-202 Chapter 39. Polygraph Examiners and voice Stress Analysis Examiners Subchapter 2. Licensing Qualifications
A polygraph examiner license or an intern polygraph examiner license may be issued to an applicant who:
(1) Is at least twenty-one (21) years of age at the time of application;
Recent Bills By Arkansas Legislators
Acknowledging People Under 21 Having Limited Thinking
March 08, 2021
By: Senator Irvin
2021 AR S.B. 495
TITLE TO AMEND THE LAW REGARDING PROVIDING TOBACCO PRODUCTS TO MINORS: AND TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF “MINOR”.
(m)(1) As used in this section, “minor” means a person who is under twenty-one (21) years of age.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
February 24, 2021
By: Representatives Womack, Gonzales, Wardlaw
By: Senator Flippo
2021 AR H. B. 1556
TITLE: CONCERNING THE LOCATION WHERE HANDGUNS MAY BE PROHIBITED; CONCERNING AGE REQUIREMENTS TO POSSESS A HANDGUN; AND TO REPEAL LAWS IN CONFLICT.
(b)(1) A person in this state under twenty-one (21) years of age shall not possess a firearm:
______________________________________________________________________________________________
March 31, 2021
By: Representative Furman
By: Senator K. Hammer
2021 AR H. B. 1736
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE RIGHT OF A JUVENILE TO REMAIN IN FOSTER CARE AFTER REACHING THE AGE OF MAJORITY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
(b) Was in foster care at eighteen (18) years of age but is not yet twenty-one (21) years of age or such other age as may be required under federal law;
Law Reviews
Acknowledging People Under 21 Having Limited Thinking
85 Fordham L. Rev. 641 YOUNG ADULTHOOD AS A TRANSITIONAL LEGAL CATAGORY: SCIENCE, SOCIAL CHANGE, AND JUSTICE POLICY
104 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 667 EXTENDING SENTENCING MITIGATION FOR DESERVING YOUNG ADULTS
2018 Wis. L Rev. 669 THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN YOUNG ADULT SENTENCING AND MASS INCARCERATION
2007 Wis. L. Rev. 729 POSTADOLESCENT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT: A DISCONNECT BETWEEN NEUROSCIENCE, EMERGING ADULTS, AND THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM
19 Law & Ineq. J. 343 THE INEVITABILITY OF REHABILITATION
109 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 703 MASS INCARCERATION PARADIGM SHIFT?: CONVERGENCE IN AN AGE OF DIVERGENCE
68 Stan. L. Rev. 933 TWO CULTURES OF PUNISHMENT
24 Pace L. Rev. 563 DIGGING OUT: AS U.S. STATES BEGIN TO REDUCE PRISON USE, CAN AMERICA TURN THE CORNER ON ITS IMPRISONMENT BINGE?
Law Reviews
On “Prisonization”
2008 Wis. L. Rev. 1049 IS PRISON INCREASING CRIME?
9 Am. L. & Econ. Rev. 1 DO HARSHER PRISON CONDITIONS REDUCE RECIDIVISM? (Finding that harsher prison conditions increase recidivism and that the effect was large enough to cancel out the deterrent effort of harsher conditions observed in an earlier study: “Indeed the {effect} appear large enough to outweigh deterrence and drive a net increase in crime should prison conditions worsen”)
22 Wash. U. J. L. & Pol’y 265 THE WAGES OF PRISON OVERCROWDING: HARMFUL PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES AND DYSFUNCTIONAL CORRECTIONAL REACTIONS
7 Harv. J. L. & Pub Pol’y 413 THE PARADOX OF PRISON REFORM: REHABILITATION, PRISONERS’ RIGHTS, AND VIOLENCE
Academic & Medical Reviews
Acknowledging People Under 21 Having Limited Thinking
55 Am. Psychologist 469 Emerging Adulthood: A Theory of Development from the Late Teens Through the Twenties, Jeffery Jensen Arnett (2000)
83 Brain & Cognition 315 Examining the Link Between Adolescent Brain Development and Risk Taking from a social-Developmental Perspective, Teena Willoughby et al., (2013). See INST. OF MED. & NAT’L RES. COUNCIL
ISSUES SCI. & TECH. Spring 2012, at 67, 67-70 (2012) Should the Science of Adolescent Brain Development Inform Public Policy?, Laurence Steinberg
2 Nature Neuroscience 859, 860 In Vivo Evidence for Post-Adolescent Brain Maturation in Frontal and Striatal Regions, Bennett & Baird, Elizabeth R. Sowell et al. (1999)
42 J. YOUTH ADOLESCENCE 921 Age and the Explanation of Crime, Revisted, Gary Sweeten et al. (2013) This pattern is found across the developed world, over time within the United States, and with respect to both violent and nonviolent crime.
27 PSYCHOL. SCI, 549 When Is an Adolescent an Adult?: Assessing Cognitive Control in Emotional and Nonemotional Contexts, Alexandra O. Cohen et al. (2016)
18 FUTURE CHILD. 15 Adolescent Development and the Regulation of Youth Crime, Elizabeth S. Scott & Laurence Steinberg (2008)
43 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOL. 1531 Age Differences in Resistance to Peer Influence, Laurence Steinberg & Kathryn C. Monahan (2007)
J. RES. ON ADOLESCENCE 7-9 (Aug. 19, 2015) See, Peers Increase Late Adolescents’ Exploratory Behavior and Sensitivity to Positive and Negative Feedback, Karo; Silva et al., http://omlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jora.12219/epdf[https://perma.cc/9QWF3JS2].
