Fighting the Crack/Coke Disparity

Congress is considering a bill that would close the crack/cocaine disparity (for some good links talking about the disparity read this Racewire article) by reducing penalties for crack cocaine. If passed the bill, dubbed the Fair Sentencing Act, will increase the amount of crack (to 500 grams) that would get you 5 years in prison to the same amount as is required now for selling powder cocaine. Obama has said in the past that he is committed to equalizing prison sentences for crack and coke but has been silent thus far on the Fair Sentencing Act.

It is worth noting that many conservatives want the punishment for cocaine to be increased rather than see a reduction in crack sentencing, but that lawmakers are citing economic reasons for avoiding that route - prisons are now being seen as an economic liability even if they are still considered necessary.

Along those lines -- I'm all about reducing or eliminating the disparity but in the Washington Post article about the bill they also mention that it would "stiffen penalties for large-scale drug traffickers and violent criminals." I'm just curious how this expansion of the prison system managed to finagle its way into the bill. Do the lawmakers who are purportedly about reducing or eliminating racist laws not understand the implications of ANY expansion of the PIC? Do they think that these "stiffened penalties" are going to equally affect all people? I'm just baffled at the lack of basic sense... who are we fighting here? Who are we protecting?

Make a call!

From the Sentencing Project

On Thursday, April 23, thousands of people across the country will phone their members of Congress to call for an end to the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. We hope that you will mark your calendar and join us. Your calls will make an important difference.

The National Call-In Day is part of Crack the Disparity National Month of Advocacy, a month-long coordinated push to eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine.

The current law:

* overstates the relative danger of crack cocaine compared to powder cocaine;
* contributes to the growth of our prison population, increasing the financial burden on taxpayers;
* disproportionately affects African Americans; and
* uses limited federal resources on low-level street dealers rather than on the major drug traffickers.

Twenty-three years of a failed policy is long enough! It's time to end this unjust and disproportionate sentencing policy. To participate, mark your calendar for April 23, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202.224.3121, and ask to speak to your representatives in the Senate and House. Urge them to support and co-sponsor H.R. 265, the Drug Sentencing Reform and Cocaine Kingpin Trafficking Act in the House and legislation in the Senate that eliminates the 100 to 1 disparity between crack and powder cocaine.

You should place three calls because you have one representative and two senators.