drug sentence

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Garland Tells Prosecutors to End Cocaine Case Disparities

House, Senate bills would alter gap first laid out by Sen. Biden

(Newser) - Federal prosecutors have been ordered to end sentencing disparities involving convictions for distributing cocaine: For decades, crack convictions have brought harsher punishments than powder cocaine offenses. Civil rights advocates and other opponents of the policy criticize the gap as harming Black and brown communities, a result of the government's...

Obama to Free 42 More Inmates Serving Time on Drug Charges

He's commuted more sentences than the past 7 presidents combined

(Newser) - On Friday, President Obama announced 42 non-violent drug offenders—20 of them currently serving life sentences—will be released from prison in the coming year, the Huffington Post reports. According to a White House press release , they were put away "under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws" and "...

6K Federal Prisoners About to Be Freed Early

Drug offenders are having their sentences reduced

(Newser) - Six thousand federal inmates from around the country will be released from prison between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, the Washington Post reports. It's the largest mass release of federal prisoners ever. The inmates are drug offenders whose sentences are being cut short based on a US Sentencing Commission...

Obama to Make History for Federal Prisoners

President ready to commute record number of sentences

(Newser) - President Obama appears ready to make history by commuting sentences for nearly 80 federal prisoners this month—more than any president has in decades, the New York Times reports. His expected clemency will free prisoners put away on non-violent drug charges, and reflects a bigger effort by the Obama administration...

Rand Paul: I Won't Send My Son to Iraq

Senator adds that he doesn't blame Obama for the 'mess'

(Newser) - Rand Paul hit the Sunday show circuit today to stake out a position on Iraq that sets him apart from the hawks in his party. "Let's not be involved in the Syrian civil war, and let's not be involved in the Iraq civil war," the senator...

Money Is Driving End of 'Draconian' Drug Sentences
Money Is Driving End of 'Draconian' Drug Sentences
analysis
Aug 13, 2013 12:15 PM CDT

Money Is Driving End of 'Draconian' Drug Sentences

Brad Plumer looks at the DOJ's budget

(Newser) - In announcing yesterday that it planned to do away with "draconian" mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug offenders, the Justice Department is righting an injustice, right? As Eric Holder explained it, "Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long, and for no truly good...

Holder to Ax 'Draconian' Drug Sentences

For low-level offenders not associated with gangs or drug rings

(Newser) - Eric Holder is set to today to reveal what the Washington Post is calling the planned "cornerstone of the rest of his tenure": a revamp of federal prison policy. And one part of the overhaul—a big change to sentencing for low-level drug offenders—is getting a great deal...

Preppie Killer Gets 19 Years for Drugs

Robert Chambers avoids life sentence with plea, returns to jail for dealing coke to cops

(Newser) - "Preppie killer" Robert Chambers, one of New York’s most infamous murderers, was sent back to prison for another 19 years after pleading guilty to drug-dealing, the Daily News reports. Chambers, who spent 15 years behind bars for strangling 18-year-old Jennifer Levin in Central Park in 1986, had been...

First Inmates Freed in Crack Overhaul

More than 3,000 eligible for release this year under new sentencing guidelines

(Newser) - Federal prisons are beginning to release prisoners to comply with new crack-cocaine sentencing guidelines, the Washington Post reports. The US Sentencing Commission made more than 3,000 inmates eligible for release this year by voting in December to even out punishments for crack-cocaine offenses against those involving powdered cocaine; crack...

New Standards Reduce Crack Cocaine Terms

Federal effort tries to bring parity to drug sentencing guidelines

(Newser) - Crack cocaine offenders will receive shorter prison sentences under new federal guidelines, which replaced rules that treated a gram of crack like 100 grams of powder cocaine. The rules introduced yesterday reduce the average sentence to 8 years, 10 months, the Times reports, and may reflect an effort to restore...

Judges Condemn Sentencing Guidelines

High court, Mukasey may give them leeway

(Newser) - Judges across the country are condemning federal sentencing guidelines, 1980s-era anti-drug laws that force them to impose “irrational” sentences, the LA Times reports. “When I have to sentence a midlevel drug dealer to more time than a murderer, something is wrong,” said a judge forced to sentence...

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