Born and raised in Glenside, Pennsylvania, to Bob and Mary Dean, Madeleine got her start in politics around the dinner table with her five older brothers and one older sister. She was graduated from Abington High School, and at age 18 won election to serve as a local committee-person.
Madeleine completed her undergraduate studies at La Salle University in Philadelphia, and earned her law degree at Delaware Law School of Widener University. She returned home, practicing law in a small Philadelphia firm and with the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and eventually serving as executive director. Madeleine then opened a small, three-woman law practice in Glenside.
Science Advisory Board/Justice Program
Rep. Dean understands that for government to work well, decision-makers need the most up-to-date data and evidence. For this reason, she introduced H.R. 3989, the Improving Justice Programs through Science Act of 2019. This bill would create a Science Advisory Board (the Board) at the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) within the Department of Justice. The Board would be responsible for integrating scientific knowledge into crime-reduction efforts, as well as for using research, data, and evidence to guide the OJP’s grants, programs, and activities.
PREP Act
Rep. Dean knows that education can be a pathway to opportunity. Along with former Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), Rep. Dean introduced H.R. 2635, the Promoting Reentry through Education in Prisons (PREP) Act. This legislation ensures that incarcerated individuals receive the educational opportunities they need to successfully reenter their communities after completing their sentences – while also reducing recidivism
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act
In addition, Rep. Dean is an original cosponsor of H.R. 1585, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. In the 25 years since VAWA’s original passage, domestic violence has decreased by 63%. H.R. 1585 expands protections for young victims, survivors without shelter, and LGBTQ people; the legislation also prevents “intimate partner” homicides by prohibiting those convicted of dating violence from possessing firearms.
The bill – which passed the House – included Rep. Dean’s amendment to improve cross-agency collaboration, ensuring that federal departments can coordinate on the prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as share best practices for supporting victims