Too many in prison for far too long: US attorney

[HerbalEd]

The USA has 5% of the world's population ... 25% of the world's incarcerated ... and 50% of the world's lawyers.

BTW, I'm an expat American who loves his country but is too often embarrassed by it's government. Although I highly approve of this latest move to ease the massive arrests and imprisonment of petty drug offenders (i.e., recreational and medical users of marijuana).

[HerbalEd]

The new policy adjustment is a breath of fresh air. Too bad it came too late for the hundreds of thousands of prisoners (most of whom are black or hispanic). It's not retroactively applied to cruel sentences handed out prior.

The AG's announcement is only that - it's not law-making - that's mostly up to the states. Many states have already been putting together more fair-minded sentencing laws re; small-time drug use or dealing small amounts - particularly where there's no other crime involved. Even that most arch-conservative spokesman of years ago, William F. Buckley, was against the 'war on drugs' - except where peddling to children was involved.

Tennessee has been relaxing its drug laws, and saved over $8 million last year (its first year doing so). When asked about 'recidivism' the top gov't attorney there said there's practically none at all in response to the less draconian sentencing.

Now if Thailand and other Asian countries could smell the coffee, and ease up from their ridiculously harsh and unfair drug laws....

I'm betting (hoping?) that the federal government and many, but not all, states will begin giving early releases to those minor drug offenders who are already in jail.

[Loptr]

The new policy adjustment is a breath of fresh air. Too bad it came too late for the hundreds of thousands of prisoners (most of whom are black or hispanic). It's not retroactively applied to cruel sentences handed out prior.

The AG's announcement is only that - it's not law-making - that's mostly up to the states. Many states have already been putting together more fair-minded sentencing laws re; small-time drug use or dealing small amounts - particularly where there's no other crime involved. Even that most arch-conservative spokesman of years ago, William F. Buckley, was against the 'war on drugs' - except where peddling to children was involved.

Tennessee has been relaxing its drug laws, and saved over $8 million last year (its first year doing so). When asked about 'recidivism' the top gov't attorney there said there's practically none at all in response to the less draconian sentencing.

Now if Thailand and other Asian countries could smell the coffee, and ease up from their ridiculously harsh and unfair drug laws....

I'm betting (hoping?) that the federal government and many, but not all, states will begin giving early releases to those minor drug offenders who are already in jail.

They have been releasing known violent criminals from prison due to over population. I see no reason why they would not commute those non-violent drug offender's sentences and release them post-haste. This will put a crimp in the panties of those private, for-profit prison corporations in the US that make money off every inmate under their supervision. So be it if you ask me.

It has been proven time and again where these detention corporations bribe judges to convict people to hard time for minor offenses, so they can get a kickback. Even minors have been jailed for nothing at all, just so the judge can make some $$$.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/mark-ciavarella-pa-juvenile-court-judge-convicted-alleged/story?id=12965182

[Scott]

An off-topic post and a post with quote only have been removed.

[boomerangutang]

National Geographic mag's recent issue features an in-depth article on sugar. It says, unequivocally, that "sugar is very addictive." .....and Nat'l Geo is a mainstream, non partisan, non-conspiracy, publication.

People reading this, keep an eye on what your kids and their friends ingest. As for us adults, well, we're already set in our deep habits - at least let's try and get our kids off to a reasonably good start in life.

[Suradit69]

I read that some municipalities have opened the prisons to private companies with a guaranteed occupancy rate of 90%. Any short fall is to be made up by the municipality. Horrible.

Crime pays. 4% dividend.

Someone just informed me that the pictures/links I included were showing up.

I was referencing

Corrections Corporation of America (CXW)

You can check out the financials at Yahoo Finance. Just put CXW in the search. The other screen grab was from Morningstar, which is a subscription service, so maybe you can't access that.

[lomatopo]

I think about the only thing we (U.S.A.) are number one in is our incarceration rate. Woo-hoo. (Waving giant foam finger.)

I've seen some articles referencing that the number of black Americans under the purview of the judicial system (prison, jail, parole, et al.) exceeds the number enslaved in 1860.

Now if we can just figure out ways to keep those we haven't incarcerated from voting, problem solved. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/08/13/north-carolina-sweeping-voter-id-law-faces-legal-challenge/

I am still in favor of EEOC but agree that AG Holder is incompetent. http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/atty-general-holder-inflated-mortgage-fraud-prosecutions-by-80/

[sceadugenga]

One of the issues with some drug laws, which appeared to be aimed at the African-American community, was the disparity in sentencing for those caught with cocaine vs those caught with crack.

Crack is supposed to be WAY more addictive than cocaine as heroin is much more addictive than opium. That is the main reason for stiffer penalties.

The arrival of crack on the drug scene seems to have resurrected the wild west and moved it into the cities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP9cfQx2OZY

[chuenyongman]

I agree, some sentences are racially unfair, and biased against the poorer population.

The very first reply to the topic and you have to play the race card. How quaint.

I do not agree with mandatory sentences for non-violent drug offenders, but just where do you come off saying that the laws are racially biased? The law is the law and if you are caught selling crack on the corner, then you are charged with the crime. The law is color blind. Or is you problem with the fact that most drug offenders in jail today in the US are black? If that's the case, then your assertion is baseless.

Crack is a poor man's way of consuming cocaine.

If penalties for crack were the same as penalties for cocaine, you'd have a valid point. But crack carries much stiffer penalties than cocaine. Very biased against the poor who can't afford cocaine. Then we get into the demographics that make up "the poor", and racism rears its ugly head.

As to Ulysses G' theory that the reason for the harsher penalty is that crack is way more addictive, a cynical person would say the penalties are harsher because they snag the right people.

Crack. Why did Humpty Dumpty push his girl friend off the wall? He wanted to see her Crack!

[Scott]

Troll post removed.

[F430murci]

Holder should reform laws the thieving Jessie Jackson Jr. and his tax evading wife are being sentenced under. 4 years for him and 1.5 years for her for stealing almost a million bucks and committing tax evasion. I guess he just has to have that $ 43,000.00 Rolex, 2 elk heads and and all of that other stuff they purchased. Haha, priceless and I agree there is something inequitable about giving a poor whit or Hispanic guy 5 years for possession of marijuana and 4 years to a thieving politician guilty of fraud and stealing $ 750,000.00.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/13/20006142-jesse-jackson-jr-could-end-up-in-one-of-the-nations-cushiest-prisons?lite