Happy New Year, Everyone! Today is the day that the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 will go into effect. This means that many people, nationwide, who have been incarcerated since 1986 for small amounts of crack will, or should, be released, because they were sentenced as if they had been caught with about ten times as much cocaine. In many cases, the time already served would more than equal the length of a sentence for the same drug not turned into crack. This is fair, as we never should have incarcerated people for drug possession in the first place. Especially with this drug. I really think that imposing harsher sentences for crack was racially motivated, since more African Americans have been arrested over the years for crimes involving crack than any other ethnic group. It was a way Republican politicians could reduce that particular voting bloc. Now, if they want votes, I guess they will have to try harder to appeal to everyone.
If you have read other entries on my blog, you can probably guess my thoughts about incarcerating people for violation of prohibition laws. While I am one of the most anti-drug people you will find, I simply think that making laws prohibiting drugs only creates and strengthens organized crime, and turns individuals into criminals when they otherwise would not have been. An example of this, in this country, is alcohol prohibition. We did not have a probelm with the Mafia until we created a market for bootlegging. Even the repeal of alcohol prohibition in 1929 did not eradicate the monster of organized crime that got a home here in this country because of prohibition. So.......any attention to this matter by any politician is appreciated. Thankyou for signing the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, President Obama!
As a collective population, this could be an opportunity for Americans to save a lot of money and resources. Sending people to prison is expensive, in many ways. "Three hots and a cot" are obvious, but what about medical care, the salary of every corrections employee, and the costs of court proceedings? It adds up.....and don't forget the costs of foster care for any children whose parents are caught in the legal machine. That's not exactly cheap, either, while it still seems to accomplish the "divide and conquer" goal so dear to today's Republicans.
Lots of people will be getting out of prison today, tommorrow, and in the upcoming weeks. Some of them have been in prison since the late 1980's, when the economy was in much better shape than it is today. How easy will it be for them to find gainful employment in a climate where a person with no criminal history may have problems finding gainful employment? Will those who went into prison with addiction and substance abuse issues be able to find a way to stay sober and embrace the opportunity they have just been given? Last night, the traditional Halloween, or Ancestor Night, and today, "Day of the Dead", marks the beginning of a New Year. I sincerely hope that those affected directly by the the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 will find positive ways to take advantage of their new opportunities and learn to enjoy their lives in a grateful and productive way. Congratulations and good luck!
If you have read other entries on my blog, you can probably guess my thoughts about incarcerating people for violation of prohibition laws. While I am one of the most anti-drug people you will find, I simply think that making laws prohibiting drugs only creates and strengthens organized crime, and turns individuals into criminals when they otherwise would not have been. An example of this, in this country, is alcohol prohibition. We did not have a probelm with the Mafia until we created a market for bootlegging. Even the repeal of alcohol prohibition in 1929 did not eradicate the monster of organized crime that got a home here in this country because of prohibition. So.......any attention to this matter by any politician is appreciated. Thankyou for signing the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, President Obama!
As a collective population, this could be an opportunity for Americans to save a lot of money and resources. Sending people to prison is expensive, in many ways. "Three hots and a cot" are obvious, but what about medical care, the salary of every corrections employee, and the costs of court proceedings? It adds up.....and don't forget the costs of foster care for any children whose parents are caught in the legal machine. That's not exactly cheap, either, while it still seems to accomplish the "divide and conquer" goal so dear to today's Republicans.
Lots of people will be getting out of prison today, tommorrow, and in the upcoming weeks. Some of them have been in prison since the late 1980's, when the economy was in much better shape than it is today. How easy will it be for them to find gainful employment in a climate where a person with no criminal history may have problems finding gainful employment? Will those who went into prison with addiction and substance abuse issues be able to find a way to stay sober and embrace the opportunity they have just been given? Last night, the traditional Halloween, or Ancestor Night, and today, "Day of the Dead", marks the beginning of a New Year. I sincerely hope that those affected directly by the the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 will find positive ways to take advantage of their new opportunities and learn to enjoy their lives in a grateful and productive way. Congratulations and good luck!
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