The government agency charged with enforcing the law, ensuring public safety against foreign threats, and controlling crime has been quite busy formulating an official strategy to "Advance equity for marginalized and underserved communities." Made public this month, the policy is known as the Department of Justice Equity Action Plan and among its key initiatives is a reform in law enforcement practices that directs federal prosecutors to ignore maximum sentencing under the law.
That will help "Avoid unwarranted disparities, promote fair outcomes in sentencing, and seek justice in every case," according to the new Biden administration plan.
The agency's new Justice Equity Action Plan also creates a new Language Access Coordinator to report hate crimes in at least 10 languages, including six of the most frequently spoken Asian American and Pacific Islander.
The DOJ will also award over $21 million to help state and local agencies as well as community organizations "Address an alarming rise in violent and property crimes committed on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability." A new Office for Access to Justice will help disenfranchised minorities navigate the justice system by offering language and cultural access, which the DOJ claims will ensure economic opportunity and fairness and pursue racial equity.
Under the new plan the DOJ will ensure that approximately $4 billion in grants awarded annually for justice-related programs is administered in a way that is inclusive of historically underserved and marginalized populations and implemented in a nondiscriminatory manner.
The grant programs "Present a significant opportunity to further equity across a broad spectrum of services," the new DOJ plan states, adding that grant recipients will be directed to take actions to promote greater equity in their communities and strengthen the agency's enforcement of nondiscrimination mandates.
The new DOJ plan is part of the Biden administration's sweeping effort to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government.
https://www.judicialwatch.org/doj-issues-justice-equity-plan/
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