美国总统奥巴马每周电台演讲2015.10.18

Hi, everybody.  Thirty years ago, there were 500,000 people behind bars in America.  Today, there are 2.2 million.  The United States is home to 5 percent of the world’s population, but 25 percent of the world’s prisoners.  Every year, we spend $80 billion to keep people locked up.
 大家好！30年前，美国只有50万人入狱,而今天这一数字是220万。合众国的人口占全球人口的5%，但入狱人数却占了全球的25%。每年我们要花销800亿美元来维持监狱的正常运转。
 
Now, many of the folks in prison absolutely belong there – our streets are safer thanks to the brave police officers and dedicated prosecutors who put violent criminals behind bars.  But over the last few decades, we’ve also locked up more non-violent offenders than ever before, for longer than ever before.  That’s the real reason our prison population is so high.
 现在，有很多犯人将一直在狱中监禁，我们的街道变得更安全了，感谢所有英勇的警察和尽职尽责的检察官们，是他们将暴力犯罪分子绳之以法。但过去的几十年，我们也关押了比以往要多得多的非暴力犯罪分子，而且关押时间也比以往要长得多。这才是我们的监狱人满为患的真正原因。
 
Ever since I was a Senator, I’ve talked about how, in too many cases, our criminal justice system is a pipeline from underfunded schools to overcrowded jails.  And we’ve taken steps to address it.  We invested in our schools to give at-risk young people a better shot to succeed.  I signed a bill reducing the 100 to 1 sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine.  I’ve commuted the sentences of dozens of people sentenced under old drug laws we now recognize were unfair.  The Department of Justice has gotten “Smart on Crime,” refocusing efforts on the worst offenders, and pursuing mandatory minimum sentences less frequently.
 当我还是个参议员的时候，我就说过，大部分情况下，我们的司法系统就是一个从资金不足的学校到人满为患的监狱之间的管道。我们已经采取措施来解决这一问题。我们加大对学校的投入，让有危险的年轻人有更好的机会走向成功。我签署了一项法案，降低了对强效可卡因和粉末可卡因犯罪100比1的量刑差异。我们意识到旧的毒品法不公平，我就为很多依据旧法判刑的人员减刑。司法部也进行了“智能打击犯罪”行动，集中精力打击那些最恶劣的犯罪分子，尽可能减少最低强制判决的使用。
 
Still, much of our criminal justice system remains unfair.  In recent years, more of our eyes have been opened to this truth.  We can’t close them anymore.  And good people, of all political persuasions, are eager to do something about it.
 然而我们的司法系统还有很多不公平的地方。在最近这些年，我们看到了更多的实情。我们不能再无动于衷了。有良心、有政治抱负的人们都希望为此做点贡献。
 
Over the next few weeks, I’ll travel the country to highlight some of the Americans who are doing their part to fix our criminal justice system.  I’ll visit a community battling prescription drug and heroin abuse.  I’ll speak with leaders from law enforcement who are determined to lower the crime rate and the incarceration rate, and with police chiefs who have dedicated their careers to keeping our streets and officers safe.  I’ll meet with former prisoners who are earning their second chance.
 接下来的几个星期，我将在国内走访，重点介绍几位尽自己的能力来修补我们的司法体系的美国人。我将到访一个与滥用处方药和海洛因进行斗争的社区。与负责执法的领导进行谈话，他决心要降低犯罪率和关押率，与警察局长一起尽忠职守，保护我们的街区和警察们的安全。我还会与一些出狱的人员交谈，他们在依靠自己的努力重新做人。
 
And I’ll keep working with lawmakers from both parties who are determined to get criminal justice reform bills to my desk.  Earlier this month, Democrats and Republicans came together in the Senate to introduce such a bill – one that would reduce mandatory minimums for non-violent drug offenders, and reward prisoners with shorter sentences if they complete programs that make them less likely to commit a repeat offense.  There’s a similar bill working its way through the House, and I’m encouraged by these kinds of bipartisan efforts.  This is progress – not liberal ideas or conservative ideas, but common-sense solutions to the challenges we face.
 我还会与两党内致力于司法改革的立法者共同努力。本月初，民主党和共和党在参议院共同引入了这样一个法案，该法案要降低对非暴力的毒贩的最低强制关押时间，而且，如果犯人完成改造，不会重新犯罪的话将得到缩短刑期的奖励。在众议院也有一个类似的法案正在讨论中，我本人也深受这种两党合作的鼓舞。这是一种进步，不是什么自由主义或保守主义的想法，而是解决我们所面临的挑战的办法。
 
From the halls of Congress to the classrooms in our schools, we pledge allegiance to one nation under God with liberty, and justice, for all.  Justice means that every child deserves a chance to grow up safe and secure, without the threat of violence.  Justice means that the punishment should fit the crime.  And justice means allowing our fellow Americans who have made mistakes to pay their debt to society, and re-join their community as active, rehabilitated citizens.
 从国会大厅到学校的教室，我们都庄严宣誓，我们是上帝保佑的对所有人自由、公正的国家。公正意味着每个孩子都应该安全地成长，而不能受到暴力的威胁。公正意味着处罚与罪行匹配。公正意味着允许犯错的美国同胞们偿还对社会的欠账，以积极、完成改造的公民身份重新融入社会。
 
Justice has never been easy to achieve, but it’s always been worth fighting for.  And it’s something I’ll keep fighting for as long as I serve as your president.
 公正从来都不是轻松可以实现的目标，但从来都是值得为之奋斗的目标。只要我继续担任总统，我就将为之持续奋斗不已。
 
Thanks, and have a great weekend.
 谢谢大家，祝周末愉快！