New Rules to Retroactively Re-Sentance Prisoners for Crack Cocaine Possession

New Rules to Retroactively Re-Sentance Prisoners for Crack Cocaine Possession

Via the NAACP:

"On June 30, 2011, the U.S. Sentencing Commission voted unanimously to apply the new guidelines for a federal conviction of crack cocaine possession as established by the Fair Sentencing Act retroactively to those men and women currently incarcerated. This means that more than 12,000 men and women currently incarcerated for crack cocaine possession, more than 10,000 of whom are African American, will be eligible for an adjustment of their sentences.

[...]

With the Sentencing Commission’s decision to support a retroactive application of the guidelines as established by the Fair Sentencing Act, the federal government can begin to mend the mistrust which has resulted between African American community and our criminal justice system due to the disproportionate and disparate incarceration of black men and women. By applying the guidelines retroactively, the Sentencing Commission will be reducing the sentences of over than 12,000 prisoners nationwide, more than 10,000, or 85% of whom are African American. Another 8.5% of those who would see their sentences reduced are Hispanic, and 5.5% are Caucasian."

Via Wikipedia:

The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world. As of year-end 2009 the rate was 743 adults incarcerated in prisons and jails per 100,000 population. At year-end 2007 the United States had less than 5% of the world's population and 23.4% of the world's prison and jail population (adult inmates).