Recently, studies have shown that there is absolutely no difference in the physical, or mental impacts in powder cocaine, or crack cocaine abuse. But, the courts have, for over 20 years now, applied for harsher sentences to crack-cocaine offenders. The disparity in crack vs. powder cocaine sentencing is 100 to 1, Meaning, the sentence you receieve for 1 gram of crack cocaine would not be applied to a powder cocaine offense until you have 100 grams of powder. So, for 5 grams of crack, you can receive 5 years in federal prison minimum. But, it takes 500 grams of powder cocaine to trigger the same mandatory sentence. You may ask what is the drastic difference that could justify the drastic sentence ratio disparity? Well, the answer is absolutely NOTHING...The only obvious diffference is the fact that CRACK is handled, sold, and controlled by the African American communties. This makes the law, and the justice system seem very racially bias, and intent on locking away young black men for far longer than neccessary. In fact, crack is the only drug that has a mandatory sentence for simple possession.
Recently, the US Congress has changed the sentence ratio from 100 to 1 down to 18 to 1. This is still an unexplained, unwarranted disparity, but iys far from the genocidal disparity of the last 20 years.
The prime problem now is the law change was not applied retro-actively. So, the almost 100,000 African Americans who have been sentenced under the 100 to 1 structure that the government and Congress has openly declared was "wrong" and a "devastaing" mistake by justice received no relief, and have to continue to serve the "wrongfully applied" sentence before the law was changed.
The government is basically saying, we were wrong, so we are changing it, but only for whomever is sharged from now on. The people sentenced wrongly for the last 2 decades, will just have to live with our mistake...another racial slap in the face of the justice system and the African American community.
I pray that this information compells you to look into what this country's justice system is doing to the African American communities. White males out number black males, in most categories, by atleast 3 to 1. But black males out number whites in prisons, by 7 to1(2010 Almanac). How is this even possible, unless the laws are geared to directly attack a certain group of people????
I hope all wjo reads this blog will leave a detailed comment, and contact your congressional representative, and law makers to urge them to fight for retroactivity of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. Please contact the following sites to post your opinions, and share the information with everyone.
Thank you for your time, and help in this drastice matter...
Contact the following and post your comments:
- http://www.dannydavis.com/
- http://www.famm.org/
- http://www.bobbyscott.com/
- United States Sentencing Commission-1 Columbus Circle N.E. Suite 2-500 Washington DC 20002( Attention: Public Affairs)
Google: H.R. 6548, Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, Congressional Bill S.1789
* Please post your comment below*
Thanks for your support in this matter.
For more information write me at:
Christopher Tuten # 10989-084
U.S.P. Mc Creary
P.O. Box 3000
Pine Knot, KY 42635
