Crackheads Might Get A Break

[Conan71]

New sentencing guidelines might let a bunch of offenders already in federal prison out on parole early:

From WaPo

[Breadburner]

I think we should build them little crack-huts so they can have a safe place to go smoke.....And provide free pipes and lighters as well.....And tooth-brushes for the ones that still have some left....

[FOTD]

Who cares. The victimless crime committers in prison cause too much overcrowding and we all pay their bills. Decrim like in Europe or San Francisco. I'm not certain I want meth addicts along side me at the movies, in clubs, or in restaurants but I damn sure don't recognize their prescription brethren anyway.

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~Bertrand Russell

[iplaw]

AOX:

If it's a victimless crime that should be decriminalized, why would you have a hard time having them along side you at the movies, in clubs, or in restaurants?  Seems like you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

AOX:

If it's a victimless crime that should be decriminalized, why would you have a hard time having them along side you at the movies, in clubs, or in restaurants?  Seems like you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth.

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~Bertrand Russell

[Conan71]

You are really showing your intelligence again Aox.

Hardly victimless.  This would apply to people in prison for possession w/ intent to distribute as well.  Crack is the scourge of inner-city neighborhoods.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

You are really showing your intelligence again Aox.

Hardly victimless.  This would apply to people in prison for possession w/ intent to distribute as well.  Crack is the scourge of inner-city neighborhoods.

It's the scourge because it is illegal. It's no problem in Europe. They ignore it for much bigger issues.

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~Bertrand Russell

[iplaw]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

AOX:

If it's a victimless crime that should be decriminalized, why would you have a hard time having them along side you at the movies, in clubs, or in restaurants?  Seems like you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth.

The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~Bertrand Russell

Did you just like my statement so much you wanted to see it repeated?

[waterboy]

So let me get this straight. If you kill your pregnant girlfriend with a knife, that is different from shooting her with an AK47? She seems dead both ways. It is murder regardless. And both currently have the same prison sentence.

But if you smoke crack in a downtown alley, that draws a longer sentence than snorting coke in the bathroom of a South Tulsa nightclub? Why? Could it be....wealth, status, location, race?

That's the argument and it doesn't hold up. BTW, you all already sit next to drug abusers, child molesters, murderers and thieves at the movie theater. You think criminals don't enjoy the movies? Usually pretty well dressed but they are there.

[Conan71]

Waterboy, I'd be willing to bet if you could break down the cases and sentences, you'd find that a lot of the people in prison for crack were either:

A) In commission of another felony when they were busted.

-or-

B) Repeat offender for the same crime or a repeat felon from other crimes committed in the past.

If it's truly sentence-for-sentence, assumes there were no other crimes being committed when they got the crack charge, and no priors in all cases, then yep, I'd say it's discriminitory.  I'm sure has heck not so naive to think that the trade in flake cocaine is any less deleterious to society than people dealing in and smoking rocks.

I'm also not a proponent of harsh sentences for first time drug offenders prison is no place for re-hab for them.  For repeat offenders that's a different story.  Dealers as well.  I don't take any pity on those who deal drugs.

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Waterboy, I'd be willing to bet if you could break down the cases and sentences, you'd find that a lot of the people in prison for crack were either:

A) In commission of another felony when they were busted.

-or-

B) Repeat offender for the same crime or a repeat felon from other crimes committed in the past.

If it's truly sentence-for-sentence, assumes there were no other crimes being committed when they got the crack charge, and no priors in all cases, then yep, I'd say it's discriminitory.  I'm sure has heck not so naive to think that the trade in flake cocaine is any less deleterious to society than people dealing in and smoking rocks.

I'm also not a proponent of harsh sentences for first time drug offenders prison is no place for re-hab for them.  For repeat offenders that's a different story.  Dealers as well.  I don't take any pity on those who deal drugs.

"well why didn't you say so" munchkin at the door of oz

[Rico]

Tell ya what Ollie.. Yawnnnnnn... Time for a book and a nap.

[guido911]

quote:Originally posted by iplaw

AOX:

If it's a victimless crime that should be decriminalized, why would you have a hard time having them along side you at the movies, in clubs, or in restaurants?  Seems like you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth.

"Seems like"?

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

Waterboy, I'd be willing to bet if you could break down the cases and sentences, you'd find that a lot of the people in prison for crack were either:

A) In commission of another felony when they were busted.

-or-

B) Repeat offender for the same crime or a repeat felon from other crimes committed in the past.

If it's truly sentence-for-sentence, assumes there were no other crimes being committed when they got the crack charge, and no priors in all cases, then yep, I'd say it's discriminitory.  I'm sure has heck not so naive to think that the trade in flake cocaine is any less deleterious to society than people dealing in and smoking rocks.

I'm also not a proponent of harsh sentences for first time drug offenders prison is no place for re-hab for them.  For repeat offenders that's a different story.  Dealers as well.  I don't take any pity on those who deal drugs.

The same can be said of any felon. Or any white collar miscreant as well. The criminal does not live in a vacuum. The drug user has to have resources that are usually illegally obtained to feed his habit. But the court is only deliberating on the charges at hand and the fairness of the sentencing is in question.

Of more concern is the quantity of prisoners being released and how the communities will handle them.

[Conan71]

Kind of goes without saying that there's a huge difference between some poor guy who had a job and lost his way with crack and hardcore addicts who have known nothing but prison and probation since they were 18.

I believe the story said somewhere around 19,000 nation-wide.  1700 alone in the district that primarily serves Richmond, Va.

It's a scary thought.  Some of these 19,000 people will go straight, but a large percentage will return to old neighborhoods, old habits, be ready to settle some old scores, and still have the same criminal skill sets.

Police do what they can to clean up crime then the civil libertarians get involved and create more work for them.

It would take some research I don't have time for at the moment, but I'd be willing to bet that sentences for crack-related offenses are probably stiffer since it's more prevalent in low-income areas.  That basically means that people are more apt to kill and steal over it, so it's viewed as more of a scourge.

With cocaine, it's considered more of a white collar drug, the people who use it are more likely to be paying for it out of their own pocket (until they lose their job, that is) and probably a lot less other street crimes associated with it than there is with crack.

I really have a hard time looking at crack or cocaine as a victimless crime like Aox does.  Chances are many of the addicts have stolen at one time or another to feed a habit- from family members, employers, or strangers.  They've stolen quality time from family and friends with their habit.  Don't even get me started on how many lives are ruined by dealers.

Minority leaders ask for more help in crime prevention, in getting criminals out of their neighborhoods.  When they get it, then they complain that there's a disproportionate number of blacks in prison.  Anyone else catch the irony in that?