U.S. Sentencing Commission votes to cut terms for drug crimes

Last edited Fri Apr 11, 2014, 01:22 PM - Edit history (1)

WASHINGTON, April 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. Sentencing Commission has voted to cut the terms recommended for most federal drug crimes.

At a public meeting Thursday, the commission approved new guidelines that officials said would mean shorter terms for about 70 percent of offenders. Generally, the changes would reduce mandatory minimums suggested for various quantities of drugs for crimes not involving the use of violence or firearms.

Recent polls have shown increasing public support for treatment rather than prison for those convicted of drug possession. An increasing number of states have legalized marijuana for medical purposes and two, Colorado and Washington, have done so for recreational use.

“We have given careful consideration to public safety in making this decision today and will continue to monitor drug sentences to determine whether any additional modifications are needed,” Chairwoman Patti B. Saris, the chief U.S. district judge in Massachusetts, said.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/04/11/US-Sentencing-Commission-votes-to-cut-terms-for-drug-crimes/8001397225769/?spt=su

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Legalize all drugs, saving thousands of lives and billions of dollars ...

The current system of laws was built on religiously motivated revenge reasoning and does nothing but exacerbate the entire issue ...

and prosecutors and judges internally know what they are doing is hurting the fabric of mankind ....