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Denn criminal justice proposals applauded in Wilmington

Community members are embracing aspects of Attorney General Matt Denn’s criminal justice reform plan released last week.

Denn spoke before about 50 people at the West End Neighborhood House at an event sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists.

Much of the discussion centered on his legislative agenda for 2016, much of which focuses on revising Delaware’s three strikes law to avoid mandatory life sentences after someone commits a third violent felony.

Instead, they would get the maximum sentence of the particular offense, excluding personal violent crimes.

“With the attorney general, we’re starting to see that having a more programmatic approach as opposed to a more punitive approach may be more effective,” said Grandville Brown, a criminal re-entry specialist in Wilmington.

Brown says he hopes Denn's plan can be implemented.  Many of the proposals will need legislative approval.

There was some pushback to modifying the three strikes law, with one question from the audience wondering whether those released from prison would reoffend when returning to the community.

But Denn says that’s possible anytime anyone is released in prison and other steps to reduce recidivism need funding.

Two questions also posed to the attorney general surrounded law enforcement protocol in dealing with suicidal individuals – a reference to the shooting of Jeremy McDole by Wilmington police officers last month.

He answered neither, saying he didn't know.

Denn says he wants to reinvest any potential savings realized through the initiatives into frontline law enforcement, as well as create statewide guidelines for gathering evidence and how to use body cameras.

“If the right precautions are taken in the community, as far as the body cameras and the right steps as far as de-escalating the situation, those will benefit more of the community instead of [their] first reaction, which is shoot first and ask questions later,” said Timothy Garnett.

Others submitted statements about how anyone can fix what they think is an inherently corrupt system.

“Hopefully some of the steps we proposed will help to increase people’s confidence,” Denn said.

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