Position Papers

CURE National's positions on justice are organized into four main categories, grounded in the belief that “no one deserves to be measured only by the worst thing she or he has ever done” and that “justice systems should be restorative rather than retributive.”

Adjudication

Accused persons deserve qualified, resourced attorneys for thorough case exploration.
Courts must equally consider defendants' backgrounds and mitigating circumstances.
Plea negotiations require engaged counsel and judicial participation.
Trial convictions cannot result in sentences longer than plea offers.
Defendants shall not appear in restraints or jail uniforms.
Liberty deprivation decisions require a “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard.
Voting rights remain protected post-conviction.
Courts must consider innocence evidence regardless of timing or prior representation flaws.

Sentencing

Mentally ill and developmentally disabled persons shall not be incarcerated.
Juveniles never housed in adult facilities.
No capital punishment or life-without-parole sentences.
Mandatory sentences eliminated to allow individualized consideration.
Non-incarcerative alternatives prioritized: restitution, therapeutic solutions, restorative justice, community service, ability-based fines.
Prison terms serve purposes beyond incapacitation only.
Sentences limited to completion of an “appropriate, well-defined, treatment and training program.”
Prior criminal history receives minimal weight.
Felony murder statutes abolished.
Sentence costs identified at sentencing.

Treatment of the Incarcerated

Comprehensive services including healthcare, education (GED, vocational training, college Pell grants), psychological evaluation, and maintenance of family connections through communication and visitation.
Work opportunities with “adequate compensation” and minimum wage, with portions directed toward restitution and savings.
Isolation limited: zero hours for nonviolent infractions; maximum four hours for violent infractions.
Housing determined by consent; no involuntary interstate transfers.

Release

Presumption of parole at earliest eligible date based on validated risk assessments, not offense nature or criminal history.
Annual release opportunities for those past minimum dates.
No fees for probation/parole; community re-entry support provided.
Licensing restrictions imposed only when a “strong correlation between the crime(s) committed and the activity being licensed” exists.
Community supervision imposed conditionally on dynamic risk assessment results.

Across all positions, CURE emphasizes human dignity, depoliticization of the justice system, decriminalization of drug use, and a rehabilitation-focused approach to juvenile justice.