Summary: An attorney is fighting against the 100:1 disparity. The mistaken truth of crack cocaine and how unequal the laws are.
Topic: The 100:1 disparity and inequality.
Category: Expert Citizen, blog.
What is it? Blog entry from a lawyer.
Title: The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 Established a 100:1 Crack Cocaine to Powder Cocaine Ratio Resulting in Crack Offenders Receiving Decades in Prison While Powder Cocaine Offenders Receive Months or at Most Several Years in Prison for Offenses
Publication Information: Tilem and Campbell, NY Criminal Attorney Blog, Feb. 14, 2009
Author: John Campbell
Location: http://www.newyorkcriminalattorneyblog.com/2009/02/the_antidrug_abuse_act_of_1986.html.
Accessed: Feb. 16, 2009
Support:
- Congress
- Tilem and Campbell attorneys
These are lawyers fighting the ADAA which is an act that “established a two-tier system of sentencing with 5 and 10 year mandatory minimum sentences for certain manufacturing and distribution offenses.” Campbell adds, “In reality, the mandatory minimums are weight driven. It is the weight of the drugs involved that controls with no regard for whether the defendant is a ‘major dealer’ or ‘serious trafficker.’”
Audience and Agenda: Tilem and Campbell, PC is a full-service law firm representing individuals and businesses throughout the New York metropolitan area. They offer exceptional legal advice and representation in a variety of legal fields.
Usefulness: This is a primary source from lawyers’ blogs showing the terrible effects of mandatory minimums. In addressing the laws that have been set, Campbell makes useful references in the change that is desired.
Works Cited: http://www.tilemandcampbell.com/, http://www.newyorkcriminalattorneyblog.com/2009/02/the_antidrug_abuse_act_of_1986.html.
Summary: President Obama has said “the war on drugs ‘has been an utter failure,’” and that we need a new angle, “so that we focus on a public health approach.”
Topic: Rather than incarcerating drug users, they are now facing drug treatment programs instead
Category: Mainstream Journalistic
What is it? News article from the St. Petersberg Times
Title: Treat drugs as a public health problem
Publication Information: Tampa Bay.com, Feb. 15, 2009
Author: Robyn E. Blumner
Location: http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article975508.ece
Accessed: Feb. 17, 2009
Support:
- President Obama
- Seattle police Chief Gil Kerlikowske
Drugs are still easy to get and in large quantities. Lawmakers are trying to understand why anyone chose mandatory minimums as a fix-all law and understand what can take the place of mandatory minimums in an effective way to lower drug users in jail and in society. Lawmakers are flustered because 50% of prisoners are drug offenders. Take one dealer off the street, another takes his place. That simply doesn’t happen for other crimes such as murder, embezzlement or burglary. “Former presidents of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico say that their countries face out-of-control drug violence spawned by America’s prohibitionist approach, and they ask point-blank that we change course to focus on public health.”
Audience and Agenda: Helpful website that helps link people to news stories. Similar to The NY Times.
Usefulness: No other articles have said that President Obama wants to change the name to the approach to handling drug offenders and users. This shapes the publics’ response, as well as, lawmakers’.
Works Cited: http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article975508.ece.
Title and Summary: Drug Policy and Mandatory Minimums. Mandatory minimums are creating racial and gender disparities. They are placing about 2 million non-violent, low-level drug offenders behind bars each year.
Publication Information: http://www.justicefellowship.org/contentindex.asp?ID=8185. Justice Fellowship. No date, no author. Academic research.
Support: Lawmakers. The sources are people who are establishing the laws. The website is a group of people reporting the disfunction and corruption of the laws.
Audience and Agenda: An organization fighting for justice in the establishment.
Usefulness: This isn’t very useful because this information has been learned before.
Works Cited: http://www.justicefellowship.org/contentindex.asp?ID=8185.
Summary: Racism affects all people still and in Tulia, Texas one in three black males were in prison and wrongfully sentenced for drugs by a man who was eventually convicted of perjury. CINEMA FRIDAYS: Tulia, Texas: 10 Years Later. http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/02/cinema-fridays-tulia-texas-10-years-later.html.
Publication Information: The institute for Southern Studies. No date, no author. Nonprofit Institutional.
Support:
- Gov. Rick Perry
- Thomas Coleman
These men are in charge of the laws and the appeals made on the men that were charged with 30 to 90 years in prison on drug charges, mostly black. A film was made about the infamous drug bust and shows the racism that still exists.
Audience and Agenda: “Since our founding in 1970 by veterans of the civil rights movement, the Institute for Southern Studies has established a national reputation as an essential resource for grassroots activists, community leaders, scholars, policy makers and others working to bring lasting social and economic change to the region.”
Usefulness: This is important because it shows the damage that the law is doing to a community socially. The race factor is driving a small town apart.
Works Cited: http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/02/cinema-fridays-tulia-texas-10-years-later.html
Summary and Title: The Daily Allison: Practicalism. Allison blogs about her views on current issues. In her view, drugs cause violence; therefore, drug offenders should be in jail.
Publication Information: The Daily Allison, blog entry. http://thedailyallison.blogspot.com/2009/02/practicalism.html. Feb. 12, 2009. Expert Citizen, blog.
Support: Everything written in the blog is Allison’s views on the current issues. She is a Republican but considers herself an independent. She thinks that laws should be changed for gun control to reduce crime and help society. But she believes that mandatory minimums can only better society because it keeps drug dealers off the streets. She mentions drug kingpins, but doesn’t say anything regarding the fact that drug kingpins are getting reduced sentences and small-time drug dealers are paying the ultimate price.
Audience and Agenda: Thirty-five year-old female from New York who likes to blog. She has two blogs.
Usefulness: This is that useful because it is an opinion of a lady who isn’t involved in anything specific, these are just her views.
Works Cited: http://thedailyallison.blogspot.com/2009/02/practicalism.html. http://www.blogger.com/profile/04473502695947093047.
Summary and Title: Strapped states eye prison savings. Lawmakers plan to release elder and ill prisoners who are not threats to society to reduce overcrowding and save nearly $1 billion in the next two years.
Publication Information: Stateline.org for Kennebec Journal. John Gramlich. Feb. 13, 2009. http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/5942785.html. Nonprofit Institutional.
Support:
- Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear
- Ryan S. King, policy analyst with The Sentencing Project
- National Association of State Budget Officers
- Public Safety Performance Project
- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Gov. Ed Rendell
- C. West Huddleston III, executive director of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals
- Gov. Janet Napolitano
- Barbara Broderick, chief probation officer
- US Rep. Bobby Scott
All of these policy makers are figuring out ways to reduce prison overcrowding, lower taxes and prison costs, and reduce crime. Most of the ideas are to let prisoners free if they are not a direct threat to society. And because costs are so high, many lawmakers find themselves cutting rehab funds to support jails, only adding to the problem.
Audience and Agenda: Stateline.orgis a nonprofit, nonpartisan online news site that practices journalism in the public interest by reporting on emerging trends and issues in state policy and politics.
Usefulness: This shows that change is wanted and shows that people from all parties are ready to accept the loss on the war on drugs and move on to better ideas.
Works Cited: http://www.stateline.org/live/static/About+Us. http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/5942785.html.
