The political and ideological shift comes as crime rates have dropped, the opioid crisis has ravaged the country and prison populations, after reaching record highs, are on the decline. Many Republicans are also embracing the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana, which is legal in 10 states and the District.
Most prominently, former House speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) joined the board of a cannabis company earlier this year and favors legalization.
Republicans say the change is a way to right the wrongs of the 1980s — a decade marked by first lady Nancy Reagan’s anti-drug mantra of “Just Say No” — by restoring basic fairness to the criminal justice system. It also has a financial component: Republicans said revising the criminal justice system will save money by moving people convicted of low-level offenses out of prison and into programs that will help reduce the recidivism rate. It is also a response to moves on the local level, where similar changes passed in some of the nation’s reddest states, including Oklahoma and Texas.
“The cost savings are great, fine. But getting people to a position where they can succeed in life and not ripping apart families? That fits in the basic confines of what conservatism is,” said Jason Pye, vice president of legislative affairs for FreedomWorks, a conservative think tank.
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