Safer Detention Act of 2025
Summary
The Safer Detention Act of 2025 aims to expand eligibility for and provide judicial review for the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program. It also seeks to make technical corrections to compassionate release provisions. The bill amends Section 231 of the Second Chance Act of 2007 and Section 3582 of Title 18, United States Code.
Expected Effects
The bill could lead to more elderly and terminally ill offenders being eligible for home detention. It also introduces judicial review for home detention placement decisions. The technical corrections aim to clarify and streamline the compassionate release process.
Potential Benefits
- Allows judicial review of Bureau of Prisons' home detention decisions, providing an additional layer of oversight.
- Expands the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program through 2029, potentially reducing costs associated with incarcerating elderly offenders.
- Broadens eligibility for home detention to include certain offenses under the laws of the District of Columbia.
- Clarifies the compassionate release process, potentially making it more accessible to eligible offenders.
- May reduce overcrowding in prisons by allowing more offenders to serve their sentences at home.
Potential Disadvantages
- May increase the workload of courts due to the introduction of judicial review for home detention decisions.
- Could potentially lead to the release of offenders who pose a risk to public safety, despite being elderly or terminally ill.
- The expansion of eligibility criteria may strain the resources allocated to monitoring offenders on home detention.
- The changes to compassionate release may create additional administrative burdens for the Bureau of Prisons.
- There is a risk that judicial review could be inconsistently applied across different jurisdictions.
Most Disadvantaged Areas:
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the Constitution by addressing issues related to the justice system and individual liberties. The expansion of judicial review could be seen as reinforcing due process rights, as outlined in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. The bill does not appear to infringe upon any specific constitutional provision.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).