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The persistent and enduring challenges of cracking the crack disparity in Congress

By Douglas A. Berman

As detailed on this official hearing page, this morning the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security of the House Judiciary Committee has been holding a hearing on crack sentencing.  As I predicted in this prior post, it does appear from the written testimony (now linked from the hearing page) that everyone involved in the hearing is speaking out against the current 100:1 drug weight ratio that now exists in federal statutory sentencing provisions.  But while the status quo 100:1 ratio is being universally criticized, exactly what should take its place is subject to continuing debate. Specifically, consider this passage from the written testimony of Joseph Cassilly, the President of the National District Attorneys Association: I am testifying on behalf of the National District Attorneys Association, the oldest and largest organization representing State and local prosecutors...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on May 21, 2009 (boomark / email).