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New Yorkers: Apply PressureWe are so close. This week — with a little pressure — New York may finally rid itself of its draconian and hurtful Rockefeller drug laws. These “mandatory-minimum” drug sentencing laws require judges to lock up for years people caught with small amounts of drugs. Nearly 200,000 nonviolent New Yorkers have been locked away because of these laws. More than 90 percent of them are black and Latino, and they overwhelmingly come from a just handful of low-income NYC neighborhoods. Instead of getting treatment or job training or an education, they are sent to prisons, hours from their families and any support system. Many of them languish in prison for decades. The state Assembly took a bold first step and passed a reform bill last week. The state Senate must pass a similar proposal and Gov. David Paterson must sign it. But we need your help to make that happen. If you live in New York, click here to send a fax to the governor and your senator. If you don’t live in New York, please forward this to your friends who do.
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2 Responses to "New Yorkers: Apply Pressure" |
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© ACLU, 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor New York, NY 10004 |
Mar 10th, 2009 at 2:16pm
From the begining of the drug war Blacks and hispanics have been targeted.
For example it was claimed that pot made
them loose control and go after white women.
May 26th, 2009 at 4:03pm
Locking up thousands of young people , who have basically committed no crimes is a contradiction to our sacred doctrines.
These individuals have caused no injury ,loss,or harm and should be treated for addiction rather than serving serious time in prison.
Most cases involve drugs or drug sales, and these statutory violations do not constitute the commission of a real crime.
Legislatures pass laws and these bodies of people have absolutely no police powers whatsoever.
We are warehousing the addicted and sick without any remorse or money to properly treat those - who lack the resources to buy a righteous recovery.