U.s. Sentencing Commission Votes To Reduce Sentences For Crack Cocaine Offenses

[Big Sexy]

U.S. SENTENCING COMMISSION VOTES TO REDUCE SENTENCES FOR CRACK COCAINE OFFENSES

Sentences for first-time crack cocaine offenses should be shortened to reduce the disparity with powder cocaine sentences, the U.S. Sentencing Commission will tell Congress this month.

Under the current guidelines, a first-time trafficking offense involving 5 grams or more of crack cocaine requires a five-year mandatory minimum sentence. For 50 grams or more, the mandatory minimum penalty is 10 years. By contrast, it would take 500 grams of powder cocaine to be sentenced to a 5-year prison term. This “100-to-1” crack-powder drug quantity ratio has long bothered the Commission and others, who view it as unfairly penalizing minorities. Statistics show that poor minorities living in urban areas are more likely to use crack cocaine, while affluent whites tend to use powder cocaine. The Sentencing Commission wants Congress to address this disparity.

On April 27th, the Sentencing Commission also voted to amend the penalties for crack cocaine offenses so that first-time offenses involving 5 grams or more receive a sentencing guideline range of 51 to 63 months instead of 63 to 78 months. For first-time offenses involving 50 grams or more, the sentencing guideline range would drop to 97 to 121 months, from the current range of 121 to 151 months. The change is intended to provide “some relief to crack cocaine offenders impacted by the disparity created by federal cocaine sentencing policy,” the Commission said.

The amendment is only a “partial solution” to some of the problems associated with the 100-to-1 drug quantity ration, the Commission added. “Any comprehensive solution to the 100-to-1 drug quantity ratio would require appropriate legislative action by Congress.”

Amendments made by the Commission to the guidelines become effective on November 1st if not disapproved by Congress.

The text of the Commission’s amendments and accompanying 2007 report to Congress – “Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy” – will be available in the coming weeks on the Commission’s website, www.ussc.gov.

[Morning Coffee]

Shaking head .... more rights for the criminal ... I say we make these crime commissions do some time with these perps and wake up to the real world .

[countybear]

This “100-to-1” crack-powder drug quantity ratio has long bothered the Commission and others, who view it as unfairly penalizing minorities. Statistics show that poor minorities living in urban areas are more likely to use crack cocaine, while affluent whites tend to use powder cocaine. The Sentencing Commission wants Congress to address this disparity.

Ok, so how about increasing the sentence for powder cocaine violations? Just further proof that these idiots know as little about street law enforcement as they do about fornicating.

Another installment on the "war on drugs" in the U.S.. Now if only they were serious about it.

[Rhino]

Although it's a step in the right direction, I think their justification is flawed. Especially with terms like "This “100-to-1” crack-powder drug quantity ratio has long bothered the Commission and others, who view it as unfairly penalizing minorities."

No, it's unfairly penalizing minorities who break the fucking law. It also unfairly penalizes whites who break the fucking law.

It pisses me off when people try to use their race as excuse to get away with crime. If I were a minority, that statement would offend me even more.

[countybear]

Although it's a step in the right direction, I think their justification is flawed.

Perhaps I am begging the question here, but... how (as a law enforcement officer), can you percieve the reduction in sentencing length for a rampant crime problem "a step in the right direction"???