WASHINGTON – Today, President Donald Trump nominated John Malcolm, a Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow and vice president of Heritage’s Institute for Constitutional Government, to serve on the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
In this role, Malcolm would work with fellow commissioners to establish sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts, as well as advise Congress and the executive branch on crime policy and act as a resource for legal professionals, the academic community and the public.
“John Malcolm is a brilliant legal and constitutional scholar who is committed to ensuring that all Americans are equally protected under law,” said Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James. “He believes that America’s criminal justice system should administer just punishment as well as serve as a system where those who have committed crimes have an incentive to turn their lives around for the sake of their families and communities. John’s distinguished legal career and astute understanding of the law will be a tremendous asset to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.”
Malcolm has been a champion of responsible prison and sentencing reforms and advocated for many of the components of the First Step Act, which was signed into law late last year. Some of his recent reports also include,Criminal Justice Reform at the Crossroads,Morally Innocent, Legally Guilty: The Case for Mens Rea Reform, Collateral Consequences: Protecting Public Safety or Encouraging Recidivism and his congressional testimony on criminal justice reform given before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform.
“I am grateful to President Trump for nominating me to serve on the United States Sentencing Commission,” Malcolm said. “This is a great honor and, should I be confirmed, I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners in providing greater transparency into the criminal justice system and in promoting sensible and fair sentencing policies.”
Among other roles prior to joining Heritage in 2012, Malcolm served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division from 2001 to 2004 and an assistant U.S. attorney in Atlanta from 1990 to 1997.
In addition to his duties at Heritage, Malcolm is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation, former chairman of the Criminal Law Practice Group of the Federalist Society, and a former chairman of the board of directors for Boys Town Washington, D.C., which provides homes and services to troubled children and families who are edging toward crisis.
Malcolm is a graduate of Harvard Law School and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Columbia College.
