Congressman Scott has consistently supported initiatives to promote public safety and improve the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve. He understands that a foundation of trust and transparency is crucial for successful community policing. Congressman Scott has also focused on evidence-based criminal justice reforms to reduce recidivism, save taxpayer money, and prioritize rehabilitation over punishment in the penal system. He continues to work vigorously to eliminate the racial disparities present in our justice system and guarantee equal protection of the law for all Americans.
Justice Initiatives
Authored a February 2023 letter to several Georgia District Attorneys urging them to expand the use of accountability courts for nonviolent offenders. Accountability courts utilize employment requirements, drug/alcohol testing, counseling, and direct court oversight to provide eligible individuals with an alternative to incarceration.
Supported higher Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 funding for Veterans Treatment Courts and the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program which provide specialized treatment to allow nonviolent offenders to pay their debt to society while becoming productive citizens.
Backed FY 2024 requests to fund the First Step Act and the Second Chance Act, key reentry programs that promote sentencing reform and integration of formerly incarcerated people through employment opportunities and restoration of civil rights.
Cosponsor H.R. 5601, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, which would decriminalize cannabis, prohibit the denial of public benefits for cannabis usage, and directly reinvest in the communities most harmed by the War on Drugs.
Protecting Our Communities
Supported a FY 2024 request for robust funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which places officers in communities around the country to advance community policing initiatives and bolster crime deterrence efforts.
Rep. Scott supported $924 million in new funding for Byrne-Justice Assistance (Byrne JAG) grants to provide law enforcement with resources for forensic analysis, cold-case review, school violence prevention, multi-jurisdictional task forces, equipment, and training.
Rep. Scott backed several FY 2024 funding requests for programs to solve crimes, like the Emmet Till Unsolved Crimes Act, Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Program, the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, and Kirk Bloodsworth Post-Conviction DNA Testing.
Secured $872,000 in FY 2024 community project funding to assist local law enforcement agencies with equipment allocation and funding for violent crime reduction projects.
Police Accountability
Rep. Scott supports the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would have increased penalties for police misconduct, banned the use of certain dangerous policing practices, improved data collection, and mandated new police training requirements.
Supported a FY 2024 funding request for the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act, which would provide training to law enforcement on de-escalation methods, procedures for crisis intervention teams and employing alternatives to use of force.
Requested $12 million in FY 2024 funds for the Wrongful Conviction Review Program to overturn miscarriages of justice.
Cosponsored H.R. 6451, the Mental Health Justice Act, which would incentivize state and local governments to create a mental health crisis team to respond to emergencies involving individuals with behavioral health needs.
Rep. Scott also cosponsored H.R. 1423, the 9-1-1Community Crisis Responders Act, which would establish unarmed mobile crisis response programs to divert certain non-violent calls to specialized service providers.
Corrections Reform
In May 2023, Rep. Scott sent a letter to the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) over the excessive and improper use of restrictive housing, otherwise known as solitary confinement.
Partnered with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on a large-scale study examining BOP’s use of restrictive housing and to recommend best practices to protect the health and safety of incarcerated individuals and correctional staff.
In March 2024, Rep. Scott sent a letter to the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) questioning the agency over the partnership with Wellpath, a private health services provider, in Georgia prisons and to emphasize that incarcerated individuals must have their human rights protected and standards of care upheld.
Cosponsored H.R. 4133, the Private Prison Information Act, which would increase transparency and improve record collection for private correctional facilities.
Combatting Hate
Requested robust FY 2024 funding increases for the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act Program, to enhance data collection and improve law enforcement response to hate crimes.
Rep. Scott Signed a FY 2024 funding request for the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to provide $17 million for specialized training to law enforcement to prevent and prosecute hate crimes.
Joined a FY 2024 request for Domestic Extremism and Radicalization Research at the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to allow chief officials of national law enforcement agencies to identify homegrown domestic threats facing our nation.
Rep. Scott also cosponsored H.R. 4712, the Hate Crimes Commission Act, to create a bipartisan commission to investigate the national root causes of and rise in hate crimes.
