A coalition of criminal justice advocacy organizations has launched "It's Not Fair. It's Not Working," an ad campaign and national effort to reform the federal sentencing disparity ratio between crack and powder cocaine. The current 100-to-1 ratio results in excessive mandatory minimum sentences for first-time possession of small amounts of crack cocaine.
The ad "Something's Wrong with the Math" points out that an individual only needs to possess five grams of crack cocaine versus 500 grams of powder cocaine to receive the same five-year mandatory sentence.
LEARN MORE
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Coalition Launches Public Education Initiative to Bring Fairness to
Crack Cocaine Sentencing (8/9/2007)
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ACLU Calls USSC Federal Sentencing Report a Step in the Right Direction
(5/15/2007)
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U.S. Sentencing Commission Issues News Recommendations on Federal
Sentencing Guidelines (4/28/2007)
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ACLU Testifies Before United States Sentencing Commission for Fair Drug
Sentencing Policies (11/14/2006)
RESOURCES
> "It's Not Fair. It's Not Working:" Ad Campaign Fights for Fairness in Crack Cocaine Sentencing
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"It's Not Fair. It's Not Working." Media Resource Guide
> Report:
Cracks in the System: 20 Years of the Unjust Federal
Crack Cocaine Law
>
United States Sentencing Commission Report: Cocaine and
Federal Sentencing Policy (PDF)