Below are the results and commentary to the JPI poll asking who will be the better President on justice reform over the next four years!

63.6% of respondents to the JPI poll thought Obama will be the better President for justice reform.

27.7% of respondents to the JPI poll thought Romney will be the better President for justice reform.

8.1% of respondents to the JPI poll voting other offered the following alternatives to Obama and Romney: Jill Stein (Statehood Green Party), Gary Johnson (Libertarian), Rocky Anderson (Justice Party), Dennis Kucinich, a Socialist Party.


People from Alaska and Arkansas to both Washingtons (the State and the District of Columbia) also took the time to share their comments.  It’s clear that many believe that the President could do much more for justice reform in the next four years than he has to date; some were frustrated that neither candidate saw justice reform as a key issue.

Responses to the JPI poll have not been edited.

  1. Obama does not know how to execute true justice reform – he will allow immigrants, terrorists, felons, convicts and anyone to roam the streets in order to garner admiration from the leftists.
  2. Romney has integrity!
  3. Marihuana decriminalization, end the war on drugs.
  4. Yes I believe that President Obama will be the President who will be the great reformer of our criminal injustic system!!!!
  5. I don’t think it’s a priority for either candidate.
  6. Romney will promote a return to personal responsibility.
  7. President Barack Obama would be the better justice reform candidate because he is a civil rights lawyer, in touch with the common man and the problems he or she face when dealing with the justice system. He can talk to kings and queens and those on 43rd and King Drive in Chicago. He understands racism and how that, unfortunately, exist in the judicial system including in the selection of juries. President Barack Obama is THE BETTER justice reform candidate for all of these reasons and more.
  8. Although his first term continued to build the “incarceration nation,” I think this was due more to the majority Republican Congress he had to deal with. But I am quite sure than Romney would not even TRY to institute justice reform.
  9. Neither parties are poised or interested in going against the capitalist machine that drives the prison industrial complex, as they are effective apparatuses of it. Short of a revolution or economic collapse (not necessarily in that order) I’m not at all expecting or hopeful that positive, significant changes are to come to the justice system.
  10. His original platform when be won the whitehouse bid included eliminating the disparity btwn crack and cocaine. Hes aware. Hes cognizant. He can now dedicate time to continuing in this vein.
  11. Neither candidate or party have included this subject in their campaigns.  How would the majority of voters know the answer to your question?
  12. Although I voted for Obama and strongly endorsed him, he hasn’t done much at all nor supported Juvenile Justice.
  13. He is more long term focused.
  14. He would try to reinstate the US Constitution.
  15. Neither person has addressed this so far.  I think Obama MAY do something this term because it’s his last term and won’t have to worry about re-election.  However, mass incarceration is a problem mostly for communitites of color and so Obama may feel that any efforts to reduce mass incarceration would play badly or stigmatize a future candidate of color.  I don’t think there’s sufficient political cover for any person other than a white president to address this problem.
  16. Mitt Romney is the candidate who will protect our God given rights and liberties. The current President has never seen a lie or injustice he doesn’t like. Mitt Romney will lead us back to a country based on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
  17. While Obama is not there yet, I believe he will be the most open to listen. The argument, unfortunately, lay on those of us that want reform and our argument needs to be convincing.
  18. It doesn’t take any political courage to build more prison and fill them with Americans in record numbers.  It takes political courage to find alternatives to incarceration that holds people accountable for their crimes, helps people repair broken lives, and makes the prevention of crime a national initiative.  Which candidate has the preparation and experience to understand such complicated social issues? Obama. Romney is not even a close second.
  19. President Obama, has had 3+ years to work on on the CJ system and has done nothing.
  20. Obama understands the plight of the undereducated and poor who are the majority of people who are incarcerated.
  21. Neither of the two major parties will risk much on reforming the justice system.
  22. “I think Obama is too inexperienced and uninformed to make fair decisions on juvenile justice issues.
  23. His decisions thus far have not proven to be for the best. Our nation is in serious trouble and Obama does not have what it takes to make things better. I’m not sure Romney does either. I, personally do not like our choices but I definitely will exercise my right to vote. I always do.”
  24. I believe that as man with moral convictions, he will look at the problem and deal with it justly.
  25. Romney will continue the conservative thinking that all criminals must go to jail.   Speciality courts such as drug courts handle recovery of the individual outside of the jails usually very well demanding participation in skill building and coping skills in the programs which have been successful in rehabilitating first time or younger individuals.
  26. Romney wants to reduce the impact of federal government, and would likely move toward more privatization of prisons.  What is needed is social reform to keep people out of prison in the first place (or to actually rehabilitate them once they are there) and Romney shows no interest in these issues.
  27. For three debates prison was not mentioned once by either candidate. The biggest prison population in human history, the history of the species, and not a word. And, not a word from the media. What choice?  Two clown heads on the same body?
  28. President Obama has not curtailed AG Holder’s spending with regard to the “when your a hammer, everything looks like a nail” approach to justice. The private prison industry and highly paid lobbyists have been allowed and even encouraged to treat inmates as though they have no human rights. All to save money. I went to a symposium where a speaker stated we should stop calling it the “corrections” system and go back to the “penal” system because that is all it is!
  29. I think President Obana will be the candidate because he has the heart to help all people in need, legally.
  30. Obama has a corupt justice system with Holder leading the way
  31. neither has addressed issue of our 1,000,000 person penal colonies
  32. Obamas not great on this issue but Romney would be much worse.
  33. Romney will choose much better supreme court and federal court judges.
  34. President Obama listens and considers the opinions of others
  35. Obama has legalized US assasination of US citizens without trial. People who vote for torture or better torture are affirming injustice and are not practical. To be practical we must organize independently for justice not positive if lesser evil.
  36. Rommey does not care for th ecommon man.
  37. I think Obama will be more open to making real change in a second term. Romney wouldn’t care!
  38. Obama did not support the brothers in Chicago who campaigned for him and Romney will not step into this issue.
  39. I have never heard that either candidate considers inmates in any manner.  I am not thrilled with either but we know what Obama has accomlised in four years????
  40. Romney would do nothing in this regard.  With many economic challenges, it is uncertain how much of a priority it would be early on in second Obama term.
  41. While I know Obama has not been great on civil liberties, sometimes detaining more people than Bush (!), I fear Romney would be worse.
  42. I wish I could choose “other” but I feel like my hands are tied. Obama’s wars against people of color are directly tied to justice reform. He needs to end Secure Communities, end the proxy wars in Central America, and end the “official” role in Afghanistan.
  43. He is the only candidate advocating for an end to the failed War on Drugs.
  44. Romney will try to privatize corrections.  The failures of current private sector prisons will not deter him.
  45. I already know that Obama is not a Christian.  If he was a Christian, having Godly values, he would NOT endorse gay marriage and abortion.  He would’ve never signed into law NDAA and shoved The Adam Walsh Act down the throats of States.  He assigned key position to GEO people, so the push for privatized, for-profit prisons was a big deal during his sad administsration.  The Constitution has been trashed under his leadership.
  46. Sees the total picture and has shown he is more compassionate to those not from the privileged classes.
  47. More interested in change and less interested in punishment
  48. I believe President Obama believes in people. I believe Governor Romney believes in money.
  49. I still believe that it is up to the Senators and House members to set and vote on evidenced based practices that have been shown to be effective and economical, and put these into policy.  The President should focus more on International issues, and the policies and budgets should be handled by our congress.
  50. Obama’s Harvard law education and knowledge of the US Bill of Rights is a necessary strength in the fight for better, stronger, fairer justice systems.
  51. Obama is more LIKELY to act  against mass incarceration.  However, neither candidate has addressed or acknowledged the issue.  All the campaigning & debates avoided completely conversation about how to lift people out of poverty.  There is always talk about protecting the middle class, but no talk about how to bring people out of poverty into the middle class.  Mass incarceration increases poverty.  The U.S. has yet to elect or even run a presidential candidate who is willing to address poverty.
  52. I think he has more middle class values and understands that we must have a balanced justice system.
  53. Romney proved to be helpful w/ jj reform in Mass when he was Governor but I can’t say the same for the adult criminal justice system.
  54. Obama is a disaster, Romney would be better but not by much. He can prove his commitment to justice by getting rid of DHS and working to repeal the “Patriot” act. Otherwise, he’ll just prove he’s more of the same.
  55. Neither gave me hope for reform.  Neither made an issue of the subject.  They were not asked at the debates about it.