Biden wants to reform U.S. prison system, decriminalize marijuana

July 23 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden revealed his plan for criminal justice reform Tuesday, which eliminates prison sentences for drug use, ends cash bail and puts a moratorium on putting juveniles in adult prisons.

The Biden Plan for Strengthening America's Commitment to Justice plan eliminates private prisons, decriminalizes marijuana and expunges criminal records for those who have marijuana-related offenses. Drug courts would be expanded and those convicted would be sent to rehabilitation, not jail.

Too many people are incarcerated in the United States and "too many of them are black and brown," Biden's campaign said in a statement.

"No one should be going to jail because they are addicted to drugs," Biden said in a campaign video. "They should be going into rehabilitation."

The plan includes a $20 billion competitive grant program targets illiteracy and child abuse, which are "correlated with incarceration."

But Biden's critics have been quick to point out that the 1994 crime bill, which Biden helped pass as a senator, did the exact opposite of this proposal, imposing tougher prison sentences, providing funds for state prison construction and gave incentives for drug-related arrests.

Presidential candidate and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said the 1994 bill "is a horrific bill that has led to the reality right now that is indefensible, where we have more African Americans under criminal supervision in American than all the slaves in 1850."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who also is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, told ABC News in May, "We need a nominee in the Democratic Party that understands the crime bill was a mistake."

President Donald Trump said Biden is proud of his record and the 1994 bill "is a true reflection of what he believes." Trump touted his own criminal justice reform bill that he signed in 2018.