Pubdate: Sun, 06 Feb 2005
Source: Valley Morning Star (TX)
Copyright: 2005 Valley Morning Star
Contact: http://www.valleystar.com/letters.php
Website: http://www.valleystar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/584
Author: John Chase
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n144.a10.html

GOOD RIDDANCE TO EXCESSIVE SENTENCES

Editor:

The editorial of Jan. 25, "Some discretion returns to judges," was
excellent. Let's hope Congress sits back for a few years to see how
these now-advisory guidelines work in practice before they overreact
with another "fix," later judged to be unconstitutional.

While waiting, consider the tens of thousands of low-level felons,
mostly women, on the receiving end of now-unconstitutional sentences,
especially long because low-level felons usually have no information
to trade for a "downward departure" from the guidelines' sentence range.

If we are a moral, compassionate people, we should not continue to
hold prisoners sentenced to a standard now ruled to be
unconstitutional.

John Chase

Palm Harbor, Fla.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin