School Essay: Crack Cocaine Laws and Discrimination

Crack Cocaine Laws and Discrimination

Leslie K. Penny

Module 4 Research Assignment 2

Chancellor University

Crack Cocaine Laws and Discrimination

            It does not take many by surprise that there is corruption in every facet of our world.    Even corruption in the very laws that are set to protect us.  The type of corruption I am referring to is discrimination in our justice system in regards to crack cocaine laws against African-Americans and other minority groups.  However, on August 3rd of 2010, President Obama signed the Fair sentencing Act, "which reduces the disparity in the amounts of powder cocaine and crack cocaine required to trigger certain penalties in the federal system, including imposition of mandatory minimum sentences" (Civil rights, 2013). 

            This move to change drug offenders' punishment has curtailed the discrimination against African-Americans.  Considering that 80% of crack cocaine possession convictions were of black people, it shows, historically, that white drug users are found in the possession of the powder form of cocaine (Paulson, 2010).  Giving the assumption that blacks cannot afford the more expensive form of powder cocaine as their white count parts can.  Other factors most definitely come into play as to why those 80% were all blacks such as economical disparities and geographical placement. 

            During President Obama's presidential campaign he brought it to the fore front that there was no justification for the "wide gap between the sentences assigned by courts for the two offenses" and needed to be eliminated (Paulson, 2010).  Some, such as Texas U.S. Representative Lamar Smith, fought against the bill, reminding those who would listen that the bill was developed in 1986 due to the crack cocaine epidemic (Paulson, 2010).  But in the end, President Obama was right.  It should not matter what form the cocaine is in when doling out the punishment.  It was obvious that blacks and other minorities were being discriminated against. 

             I understand the thought process behind the issue in 1986.  They wanted to crack down hard on the most prevalent source of violence and it so happened to be crack associated with minority groups.  However, before the Fair Sentencing Act, the target was most definitely blacks and other minorities.  Just because crack is easier and cheaper to get their hands on should not make the punishment any harsher than white cocaine.  The message is that if you're white, you will not suffer the consequences nearly as bad as your minority counter parts.  That is a sad acknowledgement that we endured until 2010.  Now, there is a more even field between crack cocaine users and the powder form of cocaine than there ever has been before. 

Works Cited

Civil rights. (2013). Retrieved 05 30, 2013, from The White House President Barack Obama: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/civil-rights

Paulson, S. (2010, July 29). Discrimination of Blacks with Crack Cocaine Ends. Retrieved May 31, 2013, from Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/article/discrimination-of-blacks-with-crack-cocaine-ends