Stay Informed

Sign up for news & alerts

Already signed up?
Login here
What Can I Do?


Get Help
Need alcohol or drug help for yourself or someone else? GET HELP
Resources
Resources
Find useful publications, online documents & more.


DrugScreening.org


 

U.S. Sentencing Commission Urges Reduction in Crack Sentences
May 16, 2007

Email
Email
Print
Print
SubscribeSubscribe
News Summary

In a report to Congress on federal cocaine sentencing policy, the U.S. Sentencing Commission urged lawmakers to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for crack cocaine offenses, the Associated Press reported on May 15. 

The commission urged Congress to increase the threshold quantities for crack cocaine that trigger the mandatory minimum sentence of five years. That threshold is currently five grams, much lower than the threshold for powder cocaine. According to the commission, it takes a hundred times more powder cocaine to result in the same prison sentence that exists for crack cocaine. These sentences were imposed by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, enacted in the 1980s amid the crack cocaine epidemic.

The commission concluded in its 115-page report that federal cocaine sentencing policy is under "almost universal criticism" from judicial, academic, criminal justice and public interest groups. 

In April, the commission voted to promulgate an amendment to modify the sentencing range for crack cocaine offenses. However, the minimum five-year penalty would still stand for five-gram offenses, with the maximum guideline range dropping from 78 months to 63 months.

The commission's amendment will become effective November 1, unless Congress votes against it by that date. 

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by joan davis on 25 Apr 08 07:56 AM EDT
i cannot believe that this article ever hit the papers.....or that it will take convicts using drugs to put them back on the streets to use again.... and my husband is in a state prison down to nearly a year left and he cannot get his sentence reduces and has a better chance of being a law abiding citizen than the drug users your letting out on the streets this isnt right nor is it justice.... i plan to fight to have my husbands sentence reduced no matter what.... your doing the wrong thing....

Your Turn! Post a public comment (read guidelines):

Name:

Comment:
(limit 200
words)

Enter this word
(help):
Change

GUIDELINES: 
To keep this feature useful for everyone, please:

  1. Keep it clean, courteous, focused, and on-topic. Comments are meant for thoughtful discussion of the article published above.

  2. Do not post personal requests for help or general promotions for your organization (Get help).

  3. Proof your comments carefully, use good spelling and punctuation, and don't use ALL CAPS. Comments are published immediately and cannot be edited.

Deceptive, slanderous and commercially-motivated posts are prohibited. We reserve the right to remove comments not conforming to these guidelines. (Report a comment).

Have questions or feedback? Contact us.