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Marc A. Levin

Marc A. Levin

Contributor

Marc A. Levin is the chief policy counsel for the Council on Criminal Justice.

Levin began the Texas Public Policy Foundation's criminal justice program in 2005 and in 2010 developed the concept for its Right on Crime initiative, to which he serves as senior adviser. He was named to the "Politico 50" and has testified frequently on criminal justice policy before Congress and state legislatures. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas and clerked on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Levin can be reached at mlevin@counciloncj.org and on X at @marcalevin.

Innovation must come with transparency, safeguards and human oversight. We need to deploy the technology in ways that enhance rather than erode public confidence in the justice system.
Boston and Dallas have achieved success in bringing down murders and other violent crimes by deploying an array of promising programs and approaches.
Chases have cost the lives of thousands (half of them innocent bystanders), but sometimes they’re the only way to apprehend violent criminals. Police agencies need nuanced policies to guide their officers.
Attracting more people with four-year degrees — and more women — into policing is likely to produce better outcomes. Among other things, they are less likely to draw complaints and use force.
Lawmakers in some states are pushing to make it harder for defendants to avoid pretrial detention. There are better ways to protect public safety that don’t conflict with the presumption of innocence.
Our prisons don’t have enough staffers to protect inmates or themselves. Better pay, benefits and working conditions are needed, and there are other effective strategies.