Pubdate: Tue, 31 May 2005 Source: Berkshire Eagle, The (Pittsfield, MA) Copyright: 2005 New England Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/897 Author: Paula Lee Hellman Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing) DRUG CRIME SENTENCING SHOWS WIDE DISPARITY To the Editor of THE EAGLE:- I am writing in response to two articles that appeared in The Berkshire Eagle on Saturday May 14. On the front page of the "B" section was a story about one of the 17 young people arrested in Great Barrington on charges related to possession and/or sale of marijuana in a school zone. It reported that the district attorney considered the appeal of Concerned Citizens for Appropriate Justice for leniency in sentencing, "but decided he would continue pursuing the harsher penalties." On Page 3 in the same section of that paper, the report is quite different. A "local man" from Pittsfield who pleaded guilty to "possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, of breaking and entering in the daytime with the intent to commit a felony, of operating a motor vehicle after revocation (habitual traffic offender). . ." was given a sentence of three years' probation. There seems to be a disconnect between the crimes of those arrested in Great Barrington who are facing a minimum mandatory two-year sentence and the crimes of the individual who was given a sentence of three years probation despite repeated arrests and more serious charges. How are we to do justice to our young people if sentencing, even the sentencing potential, is so skewed? Paula Lee Hellman Stockbridge - --- MAP posted-by: Beth