[Peace-discuss] Fw: Tell the Sentencing Commission: 'Keep pushing on crack reform'

[Jenifer Cartwright]

Pls sign!

--- On Tue, 5/24/11, Dani McClain, ColorOfChange.org <info at colorofchange.org> wrote:

From: Dani McClain, ColorOfChange.org <info at colorofchange.org>
Subject: Tell the Sentencing Commission: 'Keep pushing on crack reform'
To: "Jenifer Cartwright" <jencart13 at yahoo.com>
Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2011, 2:26 PM


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Thousands of people are behind bars because of outdated drug laws that Congress now admits were unjust.





Tell the Sentencing Commission: 'Keep pushing on crack sentencing reform.'












Dear Jenifer,

When Congress voted to narrow the unjust disparity in sentences for crack and powder cocaine offenses last summer, lawmakers didn't apply the change retroactively. As a result, thousands of people are still locked up under the old laws that treated crack, which is often found in low-income Black communities, as if it were 100 times worse than powder cocaine.
The U.S. Sentencing Commission will vote soon on whether to do its part in righting this wrong. In the run-up to a June 1st hearing on the issue, they’ve asked for public input. Could you take a moment to tell the commissioners that people serving federal sentences for crack offenses should not be behind bars simply because deeply flawed laws put them there years ago? And after you do, please ask your families and friends to do the same. It only takes a moment:


http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/retroactive


With the passage of the Fair Sentencing Act last year, Congress significantly reduced the unjust disparity in sentences between crack and powder cocaine offenses.1 Though the new law didn’t achieve what more than 59,000 ColorOfChange members had called for for over two years — it didn’t eliminate the disparity altogether — it’s undoubtedly a step in the right direction. But the law fell short in another key area: It only applies to people who were sentenced for a crack offense after November 1, 2010. It does nothing to provide relief to those who are still being kept away from their families and loved ones because of a wrongheaded move Congress made more than two decades ago.


Within weeks, members of the Sentencing Commission, which sets guidelines for federal prison sentences, could vote to lighten punishments for some incarcerated folks.2 If they hear from enough of us before the end of May, they could decide to make reduced prison terms possible for more than 10,000 people doing time for federal crack offenses.3

Please click the link below to ask the Commission to take a further step toward ending the unjust over-incarceration that disproportionately affects Black communities. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same. It takes just a moment:


http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/retroactive


Thanks and Peace,


-- Rashad, James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Matt, Natasha, and the rest of the ColorOfchange.org team

   May 24th, 2011
Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/205?akid=1989.394109.9-t9Md&t=6


References:


1. "Congress Passes Fair Sentencing Act; Lowering of Crack-Cocaine Disparity Heads to Obama for Signature," FireDogLake, 7-28-2010

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/833?akid=1989.394109.9-t9Md&t=8


2. "Federal Sentencing Guidelines 2011," Families Against Mandatory Minimums

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/834?akid=1989.394109.9-t9Md&t=10


3. "Analysis of the Impact of Guideline Implementation of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 if the Amendment Were Applied Retroactively," U.S. Sentencing Commission, 5-20-2011

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/835?akid=1989.394109.9-t9Md&t=12



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