Charles Koch, Senator Bernie Sanders Agree on Criminal Justice Reform

Charles Koch, in a Washington Post Op-Ed, applauded Senator Bernie Sanders for his proposals on criminal justice reform.  “The United States’ next president must be willing to rethink decades of misguided polices enacted by both parties that are creating a permanent underclass,” he said.  “Our criminal justice system, which is in dire need of reform, is another issue where the senator shares some of my concerns.  Families and entire communities are being ripped apart by laws that unjustly destroy the lives of low-level and nonviolent offenders.”

Koch stated that a conviction for a nonviolent crime can hold that person back from many opportunities in life, including making it difficult for those individuals to get a job.  Koch noted Koch Industries has voluntarily enacted a “ban the box” policy for potential employees.  ALEC currently has a “ban the box” model policy that applies to the public sector, but not the private sector.  Despite Koch and Sanders’ differing views regarding the role of government, both agree that nonviolent, low-risk offenders are better served by policies that provide alternatives to incarceration.