Posted on 05/12/2017 6:16:19 AM PDT by Kaslin
Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memo directing federal prosecutors to pursue the toughest charges against most criminals.
The memo to the nation’s 94 U.S. attorneys says they should “charge and pursue the most serious and readily provable offense.”
It also triggers mandatory minimum sentences, which will increase prosecutions and prison populations.
The tough-on-crime approach is a reversal of the “Smart on Crime” drug sentencing policy under former President Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder, which sought to avoid incarcerating people who committed low level non-violent crimes.
The Obama administration used the “Smart on Crime” policy to combat what they believed was a high number of prosecutions of non-violent drug offenders. DOJ officials call it a “false narrative” and say unless a gun is involved, most of those cases aren’t charged period.
Officials say Holder’s “Smart on Crime” policy “convoluted the process,” and left prosecutors applying the law unevenly, which they said “is not Justice.”
Critics of the shift say it will revive the worst aspects of the drug war. But Sessions has said a spike in violence in some big cities shows the need for a return to tougher tactics.
Sessions says in the memo that "charging and sentencing recommendations are crucial responsibilities for any federal prosecutor."
Pursuing the most serious punishment possible for a crime is a policy that "affirms our responsibility to enforce the law, and is moral and just," he added.
Does that mean they’re going to start pursuing long jail sentences for small amounts of marijuana again?
We news to put the screws to the heroin dealers and traffickers. Non violent crimes my a$$.
How many ‘small amounts’ of marijuana convictions fall under federal jurisdiction?
How many? I don’t know. I do know that there are federal laws against possession.
This means they are using drug laws like any other to get rid of illegals-—yes, DREAMERS. Also is another fiscal hammer vs “sanctuary cities.”
“This means they are using drug laws like any other to get rid of illegals-—yes, DREAMERS. Also is another fiscal hammer vs “sanctuary cities.””
Well, that sounds good.
I grew up in an era when a person in Texas got 99 years for a single seed, so I have something of a jaundiced eye.
I am of the opinion that the resources expended on enforcing MJ laws should be spent on fighting hard drugs.
This is the way it should be. Law and Order.
Who wants to make a bet as to the first leftist to cry racism?
I’m not a Leftist and I don’t see racism here.
But I HATE mandatory sentencing.
And to a more general point, I HATE the war on drugs.
I should go further.
Laws never come off the books.
In the 70s, the war on drugs was against marijuana. So we have tough federal pot laws. Except most people are now actually in favor of legalization. Yet, the laws are there and you can have your life ruined over a few loose joints.
In the 80s, it was crack. Remember crack? The crack epidemic is over. But the laws are still there.
Then it was meth. And because of that, you and I can’t buy Advil Cold and Sinus without signing a federal form in triplicate.
And then it was prescriptions. And because of that, a doctor will now prescribed you two aspirin after a badger chews off your foot.
And now, it’s heroin. We are going to stop heroin with tougher sentences. In five years, you are going to do time in federal pen for eating the wrong kind of muffin.
I hate drugs aka. sorcery in the bible.
Sweet fancy Moses!!
Take the resources from music and movie pirating and put that on drug, gang and border enforcement. Remember that Bloods, Crips and MS-13 are all organized crime. Get them through tax laws and wire fraud.
Exactly
Anything reversing the 0bama era policy is a big win.
Nobody ever got their life ruined by Federal marijuana laws for “a few loose joints”. I think a joint rarely contains more than 3 grams of weed. 12 joints is intent to distribute, in that case. I’m guessing, are you a...Libertarian?
Not really. Different sources
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