Tzedek, tzedek tirdof: Fairness in Drug Sentencing
"Who secures justice for those who are wronged, gives food to the hungry. Adonai sets prisoners free; Adonai restores sight to the blind; Adonai makes those who are bent stand straight; Adonai loves the righteous; Adonai watches over the stranger; Adonai gives courage to the orphan." --Psalm 146:7-9
Under law, possession of five grams of crack cocaine triggers a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence, while trafficking 500 grams (one pound) of powder cocaine triggers the same sentence, despite the fact that pharmacological effects of the two drugs are exactly the same, disproportionately affecting low-income communities and communities of color
. The Fair Sentencing Act of 2009 offers reform of federal crack cocaine sentencing guidelines by reducing the ratio between crack and powder; a similar bill passed in the Senate in early March, and the House is expected to vote this week.
Join CBST and our friends at the Sentencing Project
and the RAC
in urging your Representative to support the Fair Sentencing Act of 2009 (S. 1789/ H.R. 3245) to eliminate the disparity in cocaine sentencing. Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, or send an email
.
For more information about Social Justice at CBST, contact Alex Weissman at aweissman@cbst.org
.
