Conyers, Kilpatrick Celebrate the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s Decision to Apply Crack Sentencing Guidelines Retroactively

December 11, 2007 -- (Washington, DC)- Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman, Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI) , celebrated the U.S. Sentencing Commission's decision that a new cocaine guideline that went into effect on November 1 of this year be applied retroactively. The vote was unanimous.

“The Commission’s decision today is a good first start, but it is only a beginning," Chairman Conyers said. "At a time when our nation’s prison population continues to expand exponentially, at a huge cost to taxpayers, we must get smart about our nation’s drug policy. Everyone from scientists to politicians knows that cocaine sentencing policy is grossly unfair. Today’s small step brings us a little closer to fairness, but much more remains to be done. Congress must act to change crack/powder penalties. I intend to hold hearings next year to begin the long-overdue process of changing these unfair laws.”

The Commission issued their decision today despite opposition from the Bush Administration, on the grounds that it could result in the release of "large numbers of convicted drug offenders into vulnerable communities.” The decision could affect as many as 19,500 prisoners, 86% of whom are black. The majority of the affected prisoners are serving sentences for non-violent offenses under the former crack cocaine sentencing guidelines. These provisions have been widely criticized due to the fact it takes one hundred times more powder cocaine than crack cocaine to receive the same sentence.

“We applaud the landmark 7-2 Supreme Court ruling and the Commission’s decision to place principles before politics,” Chairwoman Kilpatrick said. “Sentences for crack offenders are unconscionably high and disproportionately affect African Americans. Every member of the Congressional Black Caucus signed a letter in support of applying this modest guideline change retroactively. This decision is also in step with the previous Commission decisions – in 1993, 1995 and 2005 for LSD, marijuana and oxycodone – where each change was applied retroactively. The primary beneficiaries of those earlier decisions were white. It would be unfair and un-American not to apply the retroactive provision to all citizens.”

Source: House Judiciary Committee

Bookmark/Search this post with:

 •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •    •