Crack Cocaine Vs. Powder Cocaine The Disparity

[Crystal J]

Our Justice Dept. is currently seeking to even the gap between criminal sentences on Crack and Powdered Cocaine.

As we all know, minority neighborhoods are more affected by the sales and negative attributes of crack cocaine as opposed to powdered cocaine. Its no secret, crack is cheaper, however the criminal consequence is much greater than that of powdered cocaine.

To even the disparity, our Justice Dept is seeking to decrease the sentencing on offenses involving crack cocaine to equal those of powdered cocaine. Some see this as a measure to as well decrease the number of minority arrests and imprisonment.

Unfortunately I don’t believe this is an effective measure. As a first hand witness to drug activity in minority neighborhoods, I believe this would only open our neighborhoods to an increased amount of drug activity while adversely inviting more participants.

Having spent some time studying the habits of drug dealers, it’s apparent that due to the current disparity, a lesser amount of drugs are dealt by one single person. It’s my fear that decreasing the sentencing will invite these individuals to take greater risks in their operations thus leading to a backfire of the plan.

If nothing else, the sentences of powdered cocaine offenses should be increased to mirror those of crack cocaine offenses. Of course this now affects the majority neighborhoods (per demographic studies that show powder cocaine is more relative to these areas) therefore posing a threat to powdered cocaine dealers.

Ultimately the goal should be to deter and eventually eliminate drug operations in all areas however it seems as though the politicians of our country are not concerned with the holistic view of this issue but with the favoritism that will come in siding more positively with one area.

What say you?

[Qwest4fiya]

On the surface it seems to be a backwards strategy. However a more nefarious intent may be afoot here. If you lower crack sentences, true enough it would make it seem worth the risk to more people. However that may cause more minorities, especially African American young men, to start dealing at earlier ages, which also increases the likelyhood of them getting caught up in the 3 strike laws. It's effect may actually wind up being more minorities in prison for longer stretches of time.

[Crystal J]

True...so its the lesser of two evils, if there is such a thing.
So we are either facing harsher punishment for one drug than the other or we are facing the fact that more of our males will become prisoners at a younger age and for longer periods of time...

Damn...


Crystal J

[marlon deAndre smith]

I feel that the law should change because the crack law is meant to send us black males to the pen for life because we are the ones mostly selling crack while people with more influence and money buy and sell powder cocaine. Truthfully we need to stop selling drugs period! I myself and i know plenty of other people around the country have been affected by the crack epidemic and we desperately need a change.

[Millicent Courtney Ware]

I concur with the fact that it is a tactic of subtle manipulation of the minority masses! The laws should be level; true. But, we know why it will not be! The responsibility starts with us... to insure that no matter how large the net; we are not entrapped!

Unfortunately, the societal bubble that we live within (otherwise known as our hood), are not educating themselves to any of this. Why? Because that takes away from my time and money on the block...

What to do... what to do...