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MANDATORY PRISON SENTENCES FOR DRUG CONVICTIONS IS LAW.  IF YOU’RE CONVICTED OF POSSESSION YOU MAY BE PUT AWAY EVEN IF YOU’RE A FIRST TIME OFFENDER.  BY LAW A JUDGE MUST FOLLOW SENTENCING GUIDELINES.  THE JUDGE CANNOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A ONE-TIME OFFENDER AND A CAREER FELON.

PRISONS ARE FILLED WITH NON-VIOLENT PEOPLE WHO ARE FIRST TIME DRUG OFFENDERS AND THEY’RE TAKING UP SPACE… PREVENTING REAL CRIMINALS, THE MOST VIOLENT ONES, FROM BEING PUT AWAY.

HERE’S SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW.  AS A PROSECUTOR IT BOTHERED ME TO SEE SOMEONE GET SENT AWAY ON DRUG CHARGES, WHILE VIOLENT THUGS WALKED AWAY WITH PROBATION.

VIOLENT CRIMINALS ARE GIVEN SECOND, THIRD AND SOMETIMES FOURTH CHANCES WHILE FIRST TIME DRUG OFFENDERS, BECAUSE OF MANDATORY SENTENCES, ARE SENT TO PRISON.

IT’S TIME TO GET RID OF MANDATORY SENTENCES AND SAVE JAIL SPACE FOR THE VIOLENT THUGS WHO NEED TO BE LOCKED UP.