Overall, the US is entirely to the right of many other places. So even the more liberal places are still "tough on crime". I'm not sure comprehensive reforms will be accepted even in moderate places.
> What's "politically viable" varies massively from place to place.
That's exactly my point. So having any kind of national or federal reform is impossible because Americans cannot agree on anything. Reform from the federal system is needed but any kind of sweeping reform at a nationwide level is impossible.