Racial Impact Statements Act
Issue: Defending Workers & Families
Target Level of Office: State
Policy Origin: Wisconsin State Legislature
Poilcy/Bill Number: Assembly Bill 752
Link: www.YEONetwork.org/2013policy/?i=192
YEO Co-Sponsors:
Reps. Mandela Barnes and Daniel Riemer (Primary Co-Authors)
Summary Narrative of the Policy: This bill would require a racial impact statement for any
proposed bill that would create a new crime, modify an existing crime, or modify the penalty
for an existing crime to measure the disparate impact that could be experienced by racial
minority groups. Under the bill language, the racial impact statement must be prepared by the
Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties (JRCCP). Furthermore, the bill mandates that
no chamber of the state legislature may pass any of the aforementioned pieces of legislation
without first a racial impact statement and any applicable actions required of the bill’s author.
Relevant Talking Points & Important Information:
• Criminal justice policies often have unintended consequences that would best be
addressed prior to the adoption of new initiatives. Racial impact statements are a step
in the right direction because they illuminate and assess systemic inequalities faced by
people of color who find themselves in the criminal justice system. Using the data provided
by racial impact statements, policymakers and administrators can seek alternative policies
that not only meet the goals of public safety, but also address structural inequities.
• Racial impact statements are important for criminal justice systems because it is
exceedingly difficult to reverse sentencing policies once they have been adopted.
• The scale of racial disparity within the criminal justice system is overwhelming. According
to the Sentencing Project:
oo One out of every nine black males between the ages of 20 and 34 is incarcerated
in prison or jail.
oo One of out every three black males born today can expect to do time in state or
federal prison if current trends continue.
oo For Hispanic males, the lifetime odds of imprisonment are one in six.
oo Rates for women are lower overall, but the racial/ethnic disparities are similar.
• Racial impact statements are critical because they help policymakers balance the twin
problems of the justice system. We need policies and practices that can effectively promote
public safety. Simultaneously, we need to find ways to reduce the overrepresentation of
incarcerated people of color. These are neither mutually exclusive nor competing goals.
If policymakers and administrators are successful in addressing crime in a proactive way,
we will be able to reduce high imprisonment rates; and, by promoting racial justice, we
will increase c