Race & Ethnicity Studies / Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance

Inequality in the Criminal Justice System Continues

People convicted of crimes involving crack cocaine receive 100 times the sentence as people convicted of crimes involving powder cocaine. Senator Richard Durbin (Democrat from Illinois) introduced a bill to eliminate the sentencing disparity for crack vs. powder cocaine. ACLU Legislative Counsel Jennifer Bellamy commented: “We finally have the political will and momentum to end this unconstitutional disparity. We should not miss this opportunity to effect real change and ensure fair sentencing for all Americans.” Senator Jefferson Sessions (Republican from...