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March 18, 2010

Senate Backs Reduction of Drug Sentencing Disparity
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The Senate has approved a measure that would reduce the disparity in
sentencing for possession of crack and powder cocaine. Under current
laws, individuals convicted of crack cocaine possession are given the
same mandatory sentence as someone with 100 times more powder cocaine.
The Senate measure would reduce that ratio to eighteen to one. Drug
reform advocates have called for the disparity to be completely
eliminated.



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