October 13, 2009
“Crack Cocaine Sentencing: Exploring and Examining the Issues”
Senate Breakfast Briefing
10:00 a.m., October 13
Hosted by Senator Durbin
Room G11 Dirksen Senate Office Building
House Luncheon Briefing
12:30 p.m., October 13
Hosted by Congressman Bobby Scott
Room 2237 Rayburn House Office Building
Panelists:
Chris Byrnes, Attorney & Author
"Proposals to Eliminate Sentencing Disparities Between
Crack and Powder Cocaine Offenses"
Lisa Rich
Director of Legislative Affairs
United States Sentencing Commission
Paul Butler
Former prosecutor, Professor
George Washington Law School
Pat Nolan
Vice President
Prison Fellowship
Lawrence Garrison
impacted person
Moderator: Hilary Shelton
Director, Washington Bureau & Sr. Vice President for Advocacy & Policy
NAACP Washington Bureau
This October marks the 23rd anniversary of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, which differentiated between two forms of cocaine – powder and crack. The law resulted in harsher punishments for low-level crack offenses compared to powder cocaine offenses. Congress is reviewing this controversial sentencing structure and appears poised to reform the “100 to 1” quantity disparity.
Why did Congress single out offenses involving small quantities of crack for long sentences? Should the law distinguishing between crack and powder cocaine continue?
These questions raised in the recent white paper, “Proposals to Eliminate Sentencing Disparities Between Crack and Powder Cocaine Offenses,” will be among those explored and examined by the above panel. Join what promises to be an invigorating and enlightening discussion.
RSVP to: justice_roundtable@yahoo.com
Sponsored by the Crack the Disparity Coalition, Families Against Mandatory Minimums is a member of the Crack the Disparity Coalition