Is it too early to speculate about what could be in a new “Comprehensive Crime Bill”?

The question in the title of this post is prompted by Prez Trump’s latest social media posting, which asserts that “Speaker Mike Johnson, and Leader John Thune, are working with me, and other Republicans, on a Comprehensive Crime Bill.”  I assume any future crime bill will be given a catchier name at some point, and I know I am already giving thought to what I would like to see in a new piece of federal crime legislation to build on the successes of the First Step Act enacted by Congress during Prez Trump’s first term. 

A decade into the Trump era, I have learned not to take too literally or too seriously what Donald Trump says on social media.  But given that Prez Trump and his GOP allies are viewing crime fighting and crime policy as a winning political issue (and also that Democrats are struggling with a reponse, see recent press pieces here and here), new political talk of a new “Comprehensive Crime Bill” makes lots of sense.  Indeed, not that long ago in the 1980s and 1990s, some significant crime legislation would be enacted by Congress just about every two years in sync with election cycles no matter who was in the Oval Office.

But, of course, the devil is the details when it comes to enacting big new federal legisaltion and in navigating the modern politics and policy-mkaing of crime and punishment.  The First Step Act was truly the culmination of decades of federal criminal justice reform debates, and it is unclear what sets of criminal justice proposals will get enough support in Congress to get to the desk of the President.  (I assume a crime bill would not find a way to be immune from the Senate filibuster, so at least 60 Senate would seem to be a necessity for any bill.)

So, perhaps we can and should be making a wish list here for federal criminal justice reforms.  What would folks like to see in a new “Comprehensive Crime Bill”?