Eric Holder to reform US drug sentences in major policy shift

[babylonsister]

Eric Holder to reform US drug sentences in major policy shift

Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to announce a major shift in criminal justice drug policy on Monday in a speech at the American Bar Association’s meeting in San Francisco.


Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to alter criminal justice drug policy on Monday as part of a major reform package intended to reduce the ever-increasing federal prison population.

In a watershed speech Monday at the American Bar Association in San Francisco, Holder is expected to curb severe drug-related minimum mandatory sentences, a controversial law that has contributed to a startling statistic: the United States, with five percent of the world's population, houses 25 percent its prisoners.

"Certain low-level, nonviolent drug offenders who have no ties to large-scale organizations, gangs, or cartels will no longer be charged with offenses that impose draconian mandatory minimum sentences," Holder will say, according to advance excerpts from his speech.

That means federal prosecutors can exclude in their indictments the quantities of illegal substances confiscated, which is how minimum mandatory sentences are decided. The law won't be changed and the quantity will still help determine a sentence. But the move will allow judges and lawyers to sidestep the strict federal laws.

"Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long and for no good law enforcement reason," Holder is expected to say. "We cannot simply prosecute or incarcerate our way to becoming a safer nation."

more...

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/130812/holder-reform-us-drug-sentences

[BumRushDaShow]

1. K&R

The wheels of government turn slowly but they do turn.

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Believe it when I see it

This administration, like ALL previous ones, is totally beholden to the prison industrial complex.

According to the latest stats (2011) 1 in 25 Americans were arrested. The police have become historically abusive and the judiciary is almost totally under conservative sway.

[unblock]

3. of course, this is mere justice department policy, meaning the next administration can reverse it.

and in fact can campaign on "law & order"

a small step in the right direction, but not likely an effective or enduring one.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Which begs for Congressional action

meaning 2014 is more important than ever!

[mucifer]

6. It is getting some teabagger support because it save tax money.

[unblock]

8. plus it allows whites to get lesser sentences while blacks get longer sentences.

prosecutors can still choose to put the quantities in the indictment, and judges can still impose harsher sentences... selectively.

[mucifer]

12. At least decent judges can make decent decisions. Now it's mandatory minimums for all.

I don't like that being affiliated with a gang gets you screwed so bad. Some people want out and can't get out and/or are forced into gangs. Doesn't look like this law gives them a good option.

[mucifer]

4. I posted this a few hours ago and the thread completely sank.

But, I did have in the title there is some bipartisan support for this so it might actually happen:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023449540

[millennialmax]

9. It's too positive of a story to stay afloat.

[Bonobo]

10. You probably need some coffee. nt

[Puzzledtraveller]

7. I hope so

[Scurrilous]

11. K & R

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. Kick. This happened this morning. It's important, even if not about Snowden or Oprah.

[JaneyVee]

14. Yay!

[bigwillq]

15. Good.

I've always been a proponent of not having someone serve prison time for non-violent drug offenses.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.