A new post from me at TheCourt on Lake v. Canada (Minister of Justice), which is primarily an example of judicial deference to federal exercise of powers, but I threw in some stuff about American mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offenses to keep it interesting.
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Interesting observation. I think the fact that our democratic candidates (not as sure regarding McCain) are in favor of reducing the sentences for crack to the same levels as powder cocaine gives additional weight to your arguement.
“…but I threw in some stuff about American mandatory minimum sentencing for drug offenses to keep it interesting.”
No. No, you didn’t.
The idea that America’s longest standing war – the “War on Drugs” – is deeply racist is no real shocker. What does make me roll my eyes in disgust is the fact that most first time offenders for gun possession, rape, assault, & DWI/DUI (and even those who commit these offenses multiple times) often receive less jail time by law than many first time offenders for drugs due to mandatory sentences for mere possession. And, if you are charged with possession with intent to sell (especially anywhere NEAR a school), then don’t even THINK you are going to be anywhere but maximum security prison for a good, long while. I am not saying that drug offenders (especially those intending to sell to school children) do not deserve to be put in prison; however, the fact that, in the United States, a violent rapist often receives merely probation or, when actually sent to prison, receives less jail time than a drug dealer for a first offense makes me both livid and very, very frightened.