Should We Be Mandatory Sentence Reduction - 870 Words

Mandatory sentence reduction certainly is possible, by simply shifting the focus or scale of the tough on crime indicator when it comes to drugs. We have criminalized Americans for possessing drugs in the war and drugs while in the more egalitarian Europe society simple possession is not even a crime. This translates to America in terms of a potential reduction in sentence, tests, processing, and incarceration costs for all those people arrested and convicted in the war on drugs and which has acted in practice to disproportionately penalize African-Americans. Research does call for high judges such as the Supreme Court to end the traditional and legal precedent of turning a blind eye to race discrimination in the criminal justice system (Alexander, 2011). To this point, research on mass incarceration takes issue with the fact the Court has closed the courthouse doors to claims of racial bias at all stages of the criminal justice process from the levels of justice ranging from stop s and searches to plea bargaining and sentencing. One case, in particular, stands out as drawing the line on expectations of the court to actively address racial bias in sentencing and conviction. This was in McCleskey v. Kemp and United States v. Armstrong, when the Supreme Court made ruled that it could only act or rule on matters of racial bias win the presence of â€Å"only evidence of conscious, intentional racial bias-the sort of bias that is nearly impossible to prove these days in theShow MoreRelatedMandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws Should Be Legal1150 Words   |  5 PagesAs Americans, we live one of the greatest countries in the world. Things are not perfect, but they can range from good to great. However, there is one area that seems to continuously fall behind our great national standard. This area is the level of people that to fill up our prison system. The United States has only five percent of the world s population, but it has houses 25 percent of its prisoners, which is around 2.2 million people (Collier, 2014). One of the main reasons the United StatesRead MoreAgainst Mandatory Sentencing Debate970 Words   |  4 PagesA mandatory sentence is one where judicial discretion is limited by law; those convicted of certain crimes must be punished with at least a minimum number of years in prison. The most famous example of mandatory sentencing is the ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy adopted first in California in 1994, and now more widespread in the USA. Three strikes laws require life imprisonment for a third criminal conviction, but other forms of mandatory sentencing are now being discussed and implementedRead MoreThe Concept Of Mandatory Sentencing1096 Words   |  5 PagesThe concept of mandatory sentencing is a relatively new idea in the legal field. It was first introduced in 1951 with the Boggs Act, and it made simple marijuana possession a minimum of two to ten years with a $20,000 fine. This was eventually repealed by Congress in 1970, but mandatory sentences came back with the passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. Since then, the scope and presence of mandatory sentencing has only grown, especially mandatory sentences for drug related offenses. RecentlyRead MoreThe Growing Problems of the Prison System1013 Words   |  5 Pagesare not popular as they are seen as being soft on crime and as we both know that is not favorably looked upon. Some of the options would provide a temporary decongestion of the prisons while others would be a more long term reduction in inmate populations. After reviewing I believe that there are a few that we could possibly accomplish and still portray an acceptable persona to the public. These few include reviewing the mandatory sentencing laws, education opportunities, good time credits earningRead MoreInvestigating The Roots Of The Prison Industrial Complex1576 Words   |  7 Pagesspending too much money on incarceration of individuals who rece ived long sentences for relatively minor drug crimes, and so by granting amnesty to these 46 prisoners, he hopes to push the drive towards prison reform. This simple action gave four dozen prisoners a second chance at life. This brings Obama’s commutations to 89. Presidential clemency has always been controversial. With George Bush commuting Scooter Libby’s sentence, and Bill Clinton pardoning financier Marc Rich, the American people haveRead MoreMandatory Sentencing For Non Violent Crime1050 Words   |  5 Pagesthis tremendous issue. Mandatory Sentencing To begin, mandatory sentencing for non-violent and drug- related crimes should be eliminated. This law was established to dispose of the drugs masters and to reduce the selling of drugs in neighborhoods. However, this resulted in an adverse effect; with nonviolent drug and first time offenders getting brutal sentences expanding the prison population. Non-violent crime should be dealt with differently; offering instead mandatory rehabilitation and probationRead More Three Strike Laws Essay1731 Words   |  7 PagesThree Strike Laws Mandatory minimums and three strike laws, are they really the answer to the crime problem America has faced for years? Many would say yes, including me, as long as it is for a violent crime such as murder, rape or arson; some feel that even theft, drug trafficking or possession, and burglary are all worthy of the 25-to-life sentence that can be carried under the mandatory minimums for three strike laws. A three-strike law is a law that states that you will be sentencedRead MoreMandatory Minimum Sentences For Nonviolent Drug Crimes Essay1644 Words   |  7 PagesMandatory Minimum Sentences For the vast majority of crimes committed in the United States, the fate of those who have been found guilty is left in the hands of a judge, after a trial by jury. However, since the 1950’s the fate of nonviolent drug offenders has been shifted to the hands of the partisan prosecution with the expansion of mandatory sentencing. Mandatory minimum sentencing is a system which sets minimum jail sentences for crimes, which not even judges can overturn. In the decades afterRead MoreOpiate Addiction1214 Words   |  5 Pagesopiate addicts are under age 30, of low socioeconomic status, and poorly educated.† (Zastrow, 267) Education would appear to be a viable solution here, but where does one start? Simply, the addict should be aided with fundamental assistance and training to begin to assimilate, and society at large should be helped to better understand and foster an attitude of understanding and patience based on education that is not fear-based; as has historically been the case. Analogously, this is best summarizedRead MoreArticle Report On Overcrowding Of Prison Overcrowding1074 Words   |  5 Pages Clark, Charles S. Prison Overcrowding. CQ Researcher 4 Feb. 1994: 97-120. Web. 26 Mar. 2016. This article discusses overcrowding in the United States prison system, due in part to mandatory prison sentences. Additionally, this article also discusses the challenges in managing the overpopulation of prisons and gives an objective look at solutions, to include building more prisons, to combat overcrowding. While the author does not include information about himself and his qualifications, his