Pete Lee
Encyclopedia
In 2011 Lee was assigned by his party to the House Judiciary Committee and the House Local Government Committee for his freshman year in the legislature.
Drawing on his experience and interest in criminal justice law, Lee has introduced legislation promoting victims' rights and reducing recidivism
. He advocates for laws allowing prosecutors or victims to use restorative justice
, which is an approach to crime that focuses on the emotional needs and interests of victims, encourages offenders to take responsibility for their crimes and supports sentences that pay victims back when possible. Lee introduced a bill in 2011 to define and promote Restorative Justice in Colorado state law, encouraging it as an alternative to the existing corrections system in some cases and as a compliment to it in others.
Lee also took a stand in favor of voting rights, and has supported increasing the convenience of and access to voting in order to improve turnout. In 2011 he supported the Uniform Military and Overseas Voting Act to help ensure that U.S. citizens in the armed forces stationed overseas are able to vote, and opposed legislation that would require citizens to have a birth certificate or Social Security card on-hand to register.
Drawing on his experience and interest in criminal justice law, Lee has introduced legislation promoting victims' rights and reducing recidivism
Recidivism
Recidivism is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior...
. He advocates for laws allowing prosecutors or victims to use restorative justice
Restorative justice
Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of victims, offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender...
, which is an approach to crime that focuses on the emotional needs and interests of victims, encourages offenders to take responsibility for their crimes and supports sentences that pay victims back when possible. Lee introduced a bill in 2011 to define and promote Restorative Justice in Colorado state law, encouraging it as an alternative to the existing corrections system in some cases and as a compliment to it in others.
Lee also took a stand in favor of voting rights, and has supported increasing the convenience of and access to voting in order to improve turnout. In 2011 he supported the Uniform Military and Overseas Voting Act to help ensure that U.S. citizens in the armed forces stationed overseas are able to vote, and opposed legislation that would require citizens to have a birth certificate or Social Security card on-hand to register.