cannabisnews.com: Clergy Ask To Commute Drug Sentences





Clergy Ask To Commute Drug Sentences
Posted by FoM on December 07, 2000 at 21:22:13 PT
By The Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
 More than 600 religious leaders are asking President Clinton to commute the sentences of low-level, nonviolent federal drug offenders during his final weeks in office.The clergy members, calling themselves the Coalition for Jubilee Clemency, delivered the letter to the White House last month, but have not yet received a response. Clinton's own pastor, the Rev. J. Philip Wogaman of Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, was one of the signers.
The letter asks Clinton to grant clemency to and release on supervised parole federal prisoners who have served at least five years for low-level, nonviolent drug offenses.``Scores of Americans are serving unconscionably long sentences for drug offenses -- in some cases 20 years or more -- which are grossly out of proportion to the nature and severity of their crimes,'' the letter said. ``These unduly severe sentences violate human rights and waste scarce criminal justice resources.''The U.S. prison population has increased from 600,000 inmates in 1990 to 1.89 million last year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. An additional 135,800 people were held in juvenile, military, immigration and other facilities, including those in U.S. territories and commonwealths.Experts say longer sentences, particularly for drug offenders, have contributed to the growth in the federal system. The U.S. rate of incarceration is more than six times that of Canada and Australia and five times that of any European Union nation, according to The Sentencing Project, a private group that advocates alternatives to prison.The clergy group said it is unlikely that Clinton will release thousands of prisoners. ``But he should start the process by granting clemency in the most egregious cases,'' said Chad Thevenot, the group's coordinator. ``Presidential action is urgent because it is unlikely that the opportunity to free significant numbers of deserving prisoners will arise again for four or eight years as the political risk involved will likely be avoided in a charged political atmosphere.''In July, Clinton commuted the sentences of five prisoners serving what the White House said was a disproportionate amount of time for drug offenses.Every 50th year in the Christian and Jewish faiths is a Jubilee year, when debts are forgiven and prisoners are liberated. This year is a Jubilee year for Christians, the group said.On the Net:Coalition for Jubilee Clemency: http://www.cjpf.org/clemencyBureau of Justice Statistics: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjsSource: Associated PressPublished: December 7, 2000Copyright: 2000 Associated PressWeb Site: http://www.ap.org/CannabisNews Justice Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/justice.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by defenderoffreeworld on December 08, 2000 at 08:42:37 PT:
People are becomming aware of the situation
its good to know that people that are not necessarily drug nor liberals in any way are realizing the unjust treatment that drug offenders are receiving. i am hopeful that clinton will be enough of a man to take some action before he leaves office. but even if he doesn't, people are becomming aware of what is going on, and the will of the people will be heard soon. 
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Comment #1 posted by Smokeless in Seattle on December 08, 2000 at 04:19:57 PT
You listening, Slick Willie?
Mr. Clinton, who suddenly decided that MJ isn't so bad after all, "inhaled" and gave an interview to Rolling Stone, advocating MJ decriminalization. The great unwashed (i.e., me & all of us LOL) cried out and said 'hey, where was this guy for 8 years'? Getting head in the oval office for one thing, but this is Clinton's ultra-pandering style.So pander away, Mr. President, and do this act of humanity, carefully of course. Don't let anyone go who has commited ANY violent crime, but show us americans that the government is at least listening to all of this, and all of us.
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