White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett will discuss Criminal Justice Reform with the nation’s mayors on Saturday, June 25 on the topic of Making Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform a Reality at The U.S. Conference of Mayors 84th Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, where hundreds of mayors will gather under the leadership of USCM President Baltimore (MD) Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and host Indianapolis (IN) Mayor Joe Hogsett to discuss a wide variety of priorities that contribute to the overall health of America’s cities. Jarrett’s remarks are slated for 10:30am during the morning plenary session in Grand Ballroom 5/6 on the 3rd level of the J.W. Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.
Since the president took office, this Administration has been committed to reforming America’s criminal justice system. Meaningful sentencing reform, steps to reduce recidivism, and support for law enforcement are crucial to improving public safety, reducing runaway incarceration costs, and making our criminal justice system more fair. A broad array of coalitions, including The U.S. Conference of Mayors, have come together to support the reforms needed to bring about this change. This arm-chair discussion will explore the Obama Administration’s initiatives and best practices mayors can take to help reform the criminal justice system.
With more than 85% of people in the United States living in the nation’s cities and metro areas, mayors are convinced that despite their geographic location, cities large and small are plagued by many of the same challenges. As a result, and unlike other elected officials, mayors are often able to find common ground and work in a true spirit of bipartisanship.
The mayors will also release a new report with economic forecasts for all of the nation’s 363 metropolitan areas. In addition, USCM will give cash awards totaling more than $1 million to cities showcasing stellar best-practices in the areas of climate protection, community development, and college & career-readiness training.