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Issues in Criminal Justice (JF)
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The Case for Equalizing Cocaine Sentencing |
Sen. Dick Durbin (D–Illinois) defends legislation to eliminate sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine.
A recent editorial in the Washington Post questioned the wisdom of eliminating sentencing disparities for crack and powder cocaine. Under current law, people selling 5,000 grams of powder cocaine—an amount that would fill a briefcase—and those selling only 50 grams—approximately the size of a candy bar—receive the same mandatory ten-year sentence.
In his response, Sen. Durbin points out that the editorial wrongly argued that crack is more addictive and associated with more violence than powder cocaine, even though countless studies have shown little difference in the physiological impact of crack and powder cocaine.
The editorial also failed, the senator added, to note that the proposed legislation would significantly increase penalties for violent and large-scale drug traffickers, refocusing limited federal resources on the worst offenders.
For more information about drug policy and sentencing reforms, click here. |
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