Hundreds of drug offenders across the state could soon be walking the streets. In a rare move, the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted to reduce jail time for crack offenders. It made the vote retroactive, so those who are already serving their sentence could apply to have their prison time reduced.
The move is part of the commission's effort to smooth out disparities between crack and powder cocaine sentencing. Currently, crack offenders could get as much as eight times more jail time than powder cocaine offenders. But some say early release for crack offenders could mean more violent criminals will be back on the streets. Others say that won't be a problem, since those who are eligible for early release will have to go before a judge before they can get a sentence reduction.
Sandra Moses, Lead Narcotics Prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office, explains, "If you received, say a 25-year sentence, you could get as much as 4 to 5 years off your sentence. But for a lower sentence, it wouldn't be that much time."
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, crack is Mississippi's number one drug problem. About 250 people in Mississippi's southern district are eligible for sentence reductions. Over 19,500 crack offenders nationwide could be walking the streets earlier than originally sentenced.
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Crack Offenders Could Get Sentences ReducedPosted on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 @ 18:41:36 EDT in Drugs Associated Topics
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