Any reports from the DC Crime Summit (or Rita reactions)?
As discussed here and here and here, Representative Bobby Scott, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, has been leading a “Summit on Crime Policy” over the last two days. Entitled “Violent Crime — Prevention and Solutions from the Experts,” the summit brought together more than three dozen leading voices from a broad array of organizations, (although absent was anyone from the Justice Department).
I would be grateful if any reader who attended might report on the event. I am especially eager to know if there was any discussion of possible inside-the-Beltway reactions to Rita (from Congress or DOJ).
UPDATE: A kind reader sent in this terrific report from the Sentencing Lawapalooza:
I attended two of the four panels at Bobby Scott’s crime summit, and from what I saw, it was great. A few of the panelists mentioned Rita, but not in depth. Even Lisa Rich, the panelist from the Sentencing Commission, focused on other issues – namely, the crack/cocaine disparity. And I wouldn’t worry about the absence of the DoJ: Scott framed the summit as a way for him to get ideas for new legislation, and since most of the panelists proposed reining in the DoJ and reducing the federalization of crime, I doubt the DoJ would have added much to the conversation….
Anyway, it was interesting to hear what issues are at the top of the advocates’ agendas, and Scott and Conyers seemed enthusiastic. Many people expressed interest in getting copies of the panelists’ testimony, and it sounded like Scott’s staff was trying to figure out a way to make it available to the public.