In thinking about the USA's "war on drugs" and the laws carried out to crack down on the selling and distribution of illegal drugs, what do people think about sentencing when it comes to crack vs. powder?
Crack comes from powder cocaine, yet the severity of sentencing ratio is 100:1.
If a person is caught with 50 grams of crack cocaine w/intent to distribute they are automatically required to serve a ten year mandatory prison sentence. A person would have to be caught with 5,000 grams of powder cocaine to receive the same punishment.
Where do people stand on this? If Crack is derived from powder Cocaine, why does one drug equal lesser punishment? You cannot have Crack without Powder.
in 1992, nationally, 92.6% of defendents convicted with Crack possession were Black and only 4.7% were white. By contrast, 45.2% sentenced for powder Cocaine were White while 20.7% were Black.
Do people feel this is a fair law set in place by the federal Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986? Do people feel this is a racial disparity within the US justice system? Is this law racially motivated or this law simply in place because Crack is seen as a cheaper drug that is easier to buy and distribute and is more often associated with poverty and violence?
Please discuss. Attempt to be thoughtful and not racist.
Crack comes from powder cocaine, yet the severity of sentencing ratio is 100:1.
If a person is caught with 50 grams of crack cocaine w/intent to distribute they are automatically required to serve a ten year mandatory prison sentence. A person would have to be caught with 5,000 grams of powder cocaine to receive the same punishment.
Where do people stand on this? If Crack is derived from powder Cocaine, why does one drug equal lesser punishment? You cannot have Crack without Powder.
in 1992, nationally, 92.6% of defendents convicted with Crack possession were Black and only 4.7% were white. By contrast, 45.2% sentenced for powder Cocaine were White while 20.7% were Black.
Do people feel this is a fair law set in place by the federal Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986? Do people feel this is a racial disparity within the US justice system? Is this law racially motivated or this law simply in place because Crack is seen as a cheaper drug that is easier to buy and distribute and is more often associated with poverty and violence?
Please discuss. Attempt to be thoughtful and not racist.