I was so thrilled when I read that the United States Sentencing Commission finally voted, 7-0 I might add, last week to reduce retroactively sentences for crack-cocaine offenses, bringing them more in line with the equivalent punishment for powdered cocaine.
The disparate sentencing of the two forms of essentially the same drug has long been evidence of our justice system's racist and classist underbelly; statistically, those who are found with the crack form of cocaine tend to be black and poor and those who are found with the powdered form tend to be white or Hispanic and of higher economic status.
The ruling will make it possible for as many as 19,500 inmates to apply for sentence reductions. 3,800 could be eligible for release as early as next year. Now if we can just make sure those prisoners have the support they need to appeal, so that this doesn't just become a symbolic gesture on the sentencing commission's part.
To read more about this issue check out The Sentencing Project.
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Courtney, I am so so glad you wrote about this. I work in a substance abuse clinic and the very real effects of crack every day. Nowadays, i rarely see cocaine because it's too expensive and most of my clients are homeless, poor, and unfortunately, minorities.
I can't believe how long it took to reduce these sentences because the whole thing was incredibly racist from the get-go.
Powder cocaine and crack cocaine are pharmacologically the same and cause the exact same effects.
The crack sentencing policy was overwhelmingly unequal for the indigent population and for people of color. The law disproportionately targeted the lower class and especially blacks; more blacks were incarcerated due to these policies than any other racial group.
I’m so glad that one of the most racist legal policies we had was finally addressed and hopefully this can become a trend towards equalizing many other political decisions.
Yes! I love when good news is posted. It is disheartening that it took this long, but at least they made it retroactive. But seriously, every government now needs to send letters to every single person affected by this ruling, outlining the steps they need to take.
I am likewise glad to hear this, for the same reasons as above. And it's not often I hear of retroactive laws.
Our local problem, allegedly affecting 97% of all arrestees, and 80% or more of all inmates is crystal methamphetamine ("ice"), supposedly as easy to make as following a recipe for chocolate chip cookies with OTC materials. Every single member of the local NA is struggling with ice.
i agree that this is great new s - but i do really worry about what happens to people post-release. they're often homeless upon release and have very few options for finding legitimate income, as employers are reluctant to hire convicted felons and drug felons are excluded from receiving most public benefits. they're likely still struggling with substance abuse issues, also likely to have mental health issues, and have little or no support system to help them transition.
this is something that really frustrates me - the majority of government interventions into poverty are aimed at women, because they're usually the ones with the kids with them. but ignoring the men - and these kinds of horrible catch-22 situations the world creates for them - works against the men being able to become strong partners in the families and puts the burden of raising kids solely on the women. so thanks for raising the re-entry issue, courtney, as i see this as an important and feminist issue.
Yay!. This is good news. About time for them to do something about this racist discrepancy. Hopefully this paves the way to more reform and systems to help people, just like thatabbygrrl mentioned about.
thatabbygrrl, I understand your concerns, but I for one, am going to bask for a moment in this tremendously good news before I start to worry about the other stuff.
i know - it is big, important, and tremendously big news. and we should celebrate it.
i'm just passionate about prisoner re-entry and rarely see a hook to talk about it here. :)
The Fortune Society here in the NYC area does a lot of great work around prisoner re-entry. It and other prisoner support groups have been fighting for this for a long time. Now if we could just repeal the racist Rockefeller Drug Laws.
so, i broke down federal expenditures, just for fun, from the president's proposed budget for 2008, and it's just incredible...
still, our federal government spends twice as much on enforcement and interdiction measures than treatment and education. crazy.
there's still plenty of work to be done... cool about fortune.
btw, these numbers are real rough and i just guessed on some sections (IRS should maybe go in enforcement, some prison funding may be for treatment, but whatever)
total 12961.4 (13181.4)
[numbers in millions]
========================
enforcement/interdiction [8797.7 or ~68%]
Defense [936.8]
936.8
Homeland Sec [3493.7]
1970.3 (Customs)
450.2 (Immigration)
1073.2 (Coast Guard)
DOJ [2797]
67.2 (Prisons)
2041.8 (DEA)
509.2 (Interagency Enforcement)
178.9 (Office of Justice Progs)
ONDCP [473.4]
5 (Technology Center)
220 (Trafficking Program)
224.5 (Other Control Programs)
23.9 (Salaries/Expenses)
Dep of State [1096.8]
783.7 (Enforcement)
313.1 (Interagency Development)
==================
treatment/eduction [4163.7 or ~32%]
(note, with the ONDCPs Media and Drug-Free programs added under this section [they're excluded from the budget], it increases to 4383.7 or almost a THIRD)
Education [275]
275
HHS [3435.7]
75 (Services Centers)
1000.4 (NIDA)
2360.4 (SAMHSA)
ONDCP [220]
/90 (Drug-Free Communities?)
/130 (Media Campaign)
Small Business Administration? [1]
1
Dep of Transportation [2.7]
2.7
Treasury? [57.3]
57.3 (IRS???)
Dep of Vet Affairs [392]
392 (Health Admin)