The “War on Drugs” is an American term coined to represent the campaign of prohibiting drugs.  In the 1970’s crime was rising dramatically and policy makers wanted to act against it.  The idea was simple, everyone who commits the same crime receives the same sentence.  Parole was limited and flexibility in sentencing was stripped from the judges leading to the creation of mandatory minimums. However, policy makers were impeding on a fundamental rule that our constitution had developed so long ago; separation of powers. 

Mandatory minimums are automatic prison sentences decided by Congress, not judges. These predetermined sentences are based solely on the weight of the drug and not on the individual case, creating a one-size-fits-all punishment. This means that in thousands of cases every year, the punishment does not fit the crime or the offender.  The rates of imprisonment in the United States are far greater than any other country in the world.  Therefore, our prisons are overflowing with non-violent drug offenders who cost taxpayers billions of dollars a year to support. 

In the 1980s policy makers began creating mandatory minimums for all kinds of sentences, but especially for drug related offenses. Certain non-violent young adults were sentenced anywhere from five to ten years, or even life, for simply possessing drugs. Now marked as felons, many lost, amongst other rights, their ability to obtain jobs and vote. In addition, there has been a disproportionate number of arrests and sentences based on race.

By 2005 the biggest group targeted was Black and Latino people, who saw a rise in prison population by 900%.  The prison population increased from 200,000 to 2,000,000 due to mandatory sentences.  In 2014 there were 1.5 million drug arrests, 80% were for possession only and half of that, 40%, was for marijuana.  A drug that has been determined medically valuable and is decriminalized and legal in some states.  In addition, certain drugs have been deemed more illegal than others.  Such as crack which possessing 28 grams of bears a five-year mandatory minimum sentence for a first offense.  It takes 500 grams of powder cocaine to yield the same sentence.  However, crack and powdered cocaine, which when broken down to the chemical composition, are the same drug (crack is just cooked so it can be smoked).  Furthermore, crack is and has been used more by white Americans, yet is known as the “black drug” and even today is still considered a "black problem." 

After 25 years of these sentences, many states still demand mandatory life sentences for possessing drugs.  In 2001, Connecticut legislators reduced the number of mandatory minimum sentencing laws for sale or possession if there is "good cause."  This still leaves sentencing vague and out of the hands of the courts. Also in 2015, Connecticut reduced penalties for certain drug felonies, and disposed of the two-year mandatory minimum for drug possession in school-zones.  Despite these changes it still doesn’t eliminate mandatory minimums and the courts still don't have the power they deserve.  I ask you to introduce or support state legislation to reform or abolish mandatory minimum sentencing laws today, in both Connecticut and beyond.  We have begun to change mandatory sentencing but we need to push further!