Pubdate: Fri, 18 May 2007 Source: Kansas City Star (MO) Copyright: 2007 The Kansas City Star Contact: http://www.kcstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) SENTENCING FOR COCAINE IS FAR FROM FAIR Congress Should Fix Disparity Sentencing disparities for cocaine possession are unjust and unfair. After years of ignoring the issue, Congress should move to make the penalties for possessing crack and powdered cocaine more equitable. The U.S. Sentencing Commission on four occasions has told Congress that the disparity in sentencing unfairly targets urban and low-income communities, fails to go after big-time drug dealers and concentrates penalties on small-time street sales. As a result, African-Americans who use crack are more likely to receive stiff sentences than white, middle-class users and dealers of powdered cocaine. The latest report, "Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy," released this week, once again recommends that Congress act to even out the sentencing laws. A person caught with five grams of crack cocaine faces a minimum five-year federal prison sentence. To receive the same minimum sentence, an individual would have to possess 500 grams (more than a pound) of powdered cocaine. Never mind that both forms are equally addictive, neither form is more likely to cause violence in users, and both are illegal. No one is arguing that use of cocaine is a good thing. But in deciding penalties, it is only right to treat all offenders equally. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman