Democrats Could End Discriminatory Prison Sentencing Rules

By Jackie Jones, Black America Web. Posted November 28, 2006.

Prison reform advocates say that the new Democratic majority in Congress may end America's sentencing policy which has black defendants receiving substantially more prison time for drug possession.

A new Democratic majority in Congress may finally be able to push through a recommendation from the U.S. Sentencing Commission to end the disparities in crack versus powdered cocaine sentencing, reform advocates say.

Critics of the current sentencing policy say it discriminates against black defendants who get substantially more prison time for possession of much smaller amounts of crack than those convicted of possession of powdered cocaine.