Sentencing Guidelines the Objective of Research Proposal

" (Mustard, 2001)

I. Drug Sentencing Policy and the New Washington Administration

It is stated in the work entitled: "Aspirations and Realism about Drug Sentencing Reform" that disparities in sentencing "continue to plague [the] Criminal Justice System. African-Americans and Hispanics are more than twice as likely as whites to be searched, arrested, or subdued with force when stopped by police. Disparities in drug sentencing laws, like the differential treatment of crack as opposed to powder cocaine, are unfair...." (Sentencing Law and Policy, 2008)

The plan of the new President and his Washington Administration is stated to focus on the reduction of crime recidivism through the provision of support to the ex-offender including "...job training, substance abuse and mental health counseling so that these individuals are successfully reintegrated into society." (Sentencing Law and Policy, 2008) There will also be a "prison-to-work incentive program to improve ex-offender employment and job retention rates." (Sentencing Law and Policy, 2008)

President Obama and his administration hold a firm belief that the "disparity between sentencing crack and power-based cocaine is wrong and should be completely eliminated." (Sentencing Law and Policy, 2008) Finally the new administration in Washington intend to provide first-time, non-violent offenders with a change to serve their sentence in a drug rehabilitation program which have incidentally been shown to be more effective than prison time in changing the individual's behavior.Summary and Conclusion

There are obviously individuals in the positions and fulfilling the roles that are key in reducing sentencing disparities who are presently addressing this situation and focusing on sentencing reform. However, individual citizens have a right and a responsibility to follow these developments and if the need arises to voice their opinions to their state representatives and to push from the grassroots level for the very necessary and needed reforms in sentencing practices so that the disparities in sentencing that presently exist can be reduced and ultimately eliminated.

Bibliography

Mustard, David B. (2001) Racial, Ethnic and Gender Disparities in Sentencing: Evidence from the U.S. Federal Courts. Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 44, No. 1, 2001.

Aspirations and Realism about Drug Sentencing Reform (2008) Sentencing Law and Policy. 7 Nov 2008. Online available at http://sentencing.typepad.com/sentencing_law_and_policy/2008/11/aspirations-and-realism-about-drug-sentencing-reform.html

Legislative Proposals for Reform of the….....