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4 How Drug Control Policies Are Applied and Enforced
Pages 19-26

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From page 19...
... A TWO-TIERED JUSTICE SYSTEM Marc Mauer of The Sentencing Project spoke about the racial dynamics of the criminal justice system as it applies to drug policies. He also offered suggestions about how to have more effective policies, improved public safety, and racial justice.
From page 20...
... Despite mandatory sentencing laws, White people have a major advantage in avoiding mandatory sentences. An example of this is the 1986 legislation passed by Congress that created major disparities in sentencing for crack cocaine versus cocaine.
From page 21...
... One potential option is drug courts, which have grown in popularity.1 One final law described by Mauer was the felony drug ban in the welfare reform bill passed into law in 1996. This provision stated that anyone with a felony drug conviction would be prohibited from receiving welfare benefits or food stamps for life.
From page 22...
... Karakatsanis' organization, the Civil Rights Corp, has filed classaction suits in 12 different cities to challenge the cash bail system. The organization has had some successes, including a very significant case in Harris County, Texas, where 13,000 individuals who were charged with misdemeanor offenses were released from jail.
From page 23...
... He also noted, "there's a lot of racial dynamics going on" with the cash bail system. His final comment was that we must "focus on trying to understand the deeper causes in the criminal justice system." DRUG TREATMENT COURTS, PART II Judge Greg Jackson is a senior judge on the District of Columbia Superior Court in Washington, D.C.
From page 24...
... While the traditional criminal justice system model seeks accountability and punishment for antisocial behavior, DTCs recognize addiction as an illness and focus on treatment for this chronic and relapsing disease. DTCs link court supervision and treatment, thereby asserting legal pressure on defendants to enter and remain in treatment long enough to realize benefits.
From page 25...
... He brought up the example of Portugal, which has largely decriminalized drug use, as a model that the United States should consider adopting. Jackson repeated his earlier comment that drug courts are not a panacea, but are one tool to provide additional services to individuals in need.
From page 26...
... "We are doing the best we can," he said. In response to another question, Jackson explained that there are drug court programs specifically tailored to women and women with small children.


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