This one's right up our alley, Kossacks. We're naturals! Our mainspring is right there in the Democratic Party Platform: "We will continue to fight inequalities in our criminal justice system."
Meteor Blades wrote about Tuesday's U.S. Sentencing Commission hearing where testimony was heard concerning the possibility of retroactive application of the new drug sentencing guidelines that go into effect on November 1st in prospective cases. His diary was titled DOJ-backed proposal would cut drug sentences of up to 20,000 prisoners. That's another good step. Check it out, if you haven't already.
Here's the catch, though, on retroactivity: there were opponents at that Commission hearing - vociferous ones - some of whom do not want the new guidelines to be applied at all to those already incarcerated and some of whom want certain restrictions placed on the application of retroactivity. This proposal for equal justice, modest as it is, is not yet a done deal, People!
In July, the U.S. Sentencing Commission will make its decision - but, in the interim, the Commission is also soliciting public comments. They want to hear your voice! At the end of this diary is contact information for you to email the Commission your views for its consideration. Please convey your support for retroactive application of the drug sentencing guidelines without restrictions. That is the only just and equitable outcome and here's why:
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