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FAMM suggests sentencing questions for the candidates

By Douglas A. Berman

I just noticed that Families Against Mandatory Minimums has this new newsletter focused on the ways in which the "next president of the United States will have the power to influence sentencing policy for the next four to eight years."  Among many interesting facets of the newsletter is a small section that suggests these "sample questions for candidates": If your loved one is a first-time offender:  Since my loved one (son, wife, etc.) ? a first-time, nonviolent drug offender ? began serving __ years for a (drug conspiracy, selling marijuana, etc.), I have learned about our lengthy mandatory minimum drug sentences. Do you support repealing mandatory sentences in favor of a structure that allows courts to consider the facts of the case and choose an appropriate sentence, and why? If you are a concerned citizen: It costs at least $22,000 a year to incarcerate a nonviolent drug offender, and five, 10 and 20-year mandatory sentences are commonplace...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on April 01, 2008 (boomark / email).