American Civil Liberties Union

Drug Policy:
The ACLU Drug Law Reform Project is a division of the national ACLU. Our goal is to end punitive drug policies that cause the widespread violation of constitutional and human rights, as well as unprecedented levels of incarceration.


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Drug Policy : Sentencing and Penalties : Legislative Documents

ACLU Testimony to Reform the 100-1 Crack/Powder Disparity (02/12/2008)
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) would like to thank the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for the opportunity to submit testimony for this hearing on “Federal Cocaine Sentencing Laws: Reforming the 100-to-1 Crack/Powder Disparity.” The ACLU is a nonpartisan organization with hundreds of thousands of activists and members and with 53 affiliates nationwide. Our mission is to protect the Constitution and particularly the Bill of Rights. Thus, the disparity that exists in federal law between crack and powder cocaine sentencing continues to concern our organization due to the implications of this policy on due process and equal protection rights of all people. Equally important to our core mission are the rights of freedom of association and freedom from disproportionate punishment, which are also at risk under this sentencing regime.

ACLU Comments to the United States Sentencing Commission on Crack/Powder Disparity (03/16/2007)

ACLU Urges Members of Congress to Co-Sponsor and Support the RISE Act (01/25/2007)

Testimony of Jesselyn McCurdy, ACLU Legislative Counsel, At A United States Sentencing Commission Hearing On Cocaine and Sentencing Policy (11/14/2006)

Coalition Sign-On Letter to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees Regarding Mandatory Minimums for Crack Cocaine (02/16/2006)

Coalition Letter to the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Opposing H.R. 4547 (09/22/2004)

ACLU Letter to the House Urging Support for H.R. 2282, the Equal Access to Justice Reform Act (03/11/2004)

Sign-on Letter to the House Financial Services Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee on The Protection of Innocent Tenants (06/17/2002)

Interested Persons Memo on Crack/Powder Cocaine Sentencing Policy (05/21/2002)

Coalition Letter to the U.S. Sentencing Commission on the Disparity of Crack and Powder Cocaine Sentencing (04/04/2002)

Testimony of Washington National Office Director Laura Murphy Before the United States Sentencing Commission (03/19/2002)

ACLU Welcomes New Report from Sentencing Project (03/15/2002)

Letter to the Senate Regarding the Hatch Drug Amendment to S. 625, the "Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1999" (01/31/2000)

Letter to the House Urging Opposition to H.R. 3164, the "Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act" (11/02/1999)

Nadine Strossen's Congressional Testimony on Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform (06/11/1997)

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