Problems with Minimum Drug Sentencing:
Incarceration rates have been increasing significantly over the last several years. There is a direct correlation with this and the minimum sentence for petty or lower level offending crimes. Due to this minimum sentencing, incarceration rates are at all time high. There is a need for reduction. At the Federal level, prisoners incarcerated on a drug charge comprise half of the prison population, while the number of drug offenders in state prisons has increased thirteen-fold since 1980 (Sentencing Project) With this rising number, it is absolutely necessary for reform. Minimum drug sentencing has been a direct cause with this problem. It is the main problem for the increasing rate of prisoners and overpopulation of cells. The main problem is that petty crimes, that people should be able to pay off, go to trial and end up receiving long sentences for nothing. There is a direct relationship, with this and incarceration rates. The graph below just goes to further show, how incarceration rates on minimum drug sentences in 1980 vs 2011 have changed. Compared to 1980, the numbers have skyrocketed with the largest gap, being in state prisons, from 19,500 people to over 225,000 people. The other interesting fact from the information presented is that each of the numbers differs on a state and federal level. This causes many problems because many state are left up to decide what sentences their convicts shall receive. However, this is a very disorganized process because there is no one decision to be made. With states having no unity across the board, states can charge more of your tax dollars to keep prisoners in holding for longer.
The Sentencing Project, a management sums up the problems with Drug crime in this statement below "
Sentencing policies brought about by the "war on drugs" resulted in a dramatic growth in incarceration for drug offenses. At the Federal level, prisoners incarcerated on a drug charge comprise half of the prison population, while the number of drug offenders in state prisons has increased thirteen-fold since 1980. Most of these people are not high-level actors in the drug trade, and most have no prior criminal record for a violent offense".
Incarceration rates have been increasing significantly over the last several years. There is a direct correlation with this and the minimum sentence for petty or lower level offending crimes. Due to this minimum sentencing, incarceration rates are at all time high. There is a need for reduction. At the Federal level, prisoners incarcerated on a drug charge comprise half of the prison population, while the number of drug offenders in state prisons has increased thirteen-fold since 1980 (Sentencing Project) With this rising number, it is absolutely necessary for reform. Minimum drug sentencing has been a direct cause with this problem. It is the main problem for the increasing rate of prisoners and overpopulation of cells. The main problem is that petty crimes, that people should be able to pay off, go to trial and end up receiving long sentences for nothing. There is a direct relationship, with this and incarceration rates. The graph below just goes to further show, how incarceration rates on minimum drug sentences in 1980 vs 2011 have changed. Compared to 1980, the numbers have skyrocketed with the largest gap, being in state prisons, from 19,500 people to over 225,000 people. The other interesting fact from the information presented is that each of the numbers differs on a state and federal level. This causes many problems because many state are left up to decide what sentences their convicts shall receive. However, this is a very disorganized process because there is no one decision to be made. With states having no unity across the board, states can charge more of your tax dollars to keep prisoners in holding for longer.
The Sentencing Project, a management sums up the problems with Drug crime in this statement below "
Sentencing policies brought about by the "war on drugs" resulted in a dramatic growth in incarceration for drug offenses. At the Federal level, prisoners incarcerated on a drug charge comprise half of the prison population, while the number of drug offenders in state prisons has increased thirteen-fold since 1980. Most of these people are not high-level actors in the drug trade, and most have no prior criminal record for a violent offense".