Bush Seeks More Violent Crime Funds [View All]

[flashl]

Source: Washington Post

Possible Early Release for Crack Cocaine Offenders Is Cited as Rationale

The Bush administration announced yesterday that it is seeking $200 million to help cities fight violent crime, citing as one of its reasons, the U.S. Sentencing Commission's decision to give convicted crack cocaine offenders a chance for an earlier release.

Speaking before the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said that "a sudden influx of criminals from federal prison into your communities could lead to a surge in new victims as a tragic, but predictable, result."

"We need to do all we can in education, job training, drug treatment, housing and other reentry preparation for all of these offenders who could be released," Mukasey added. "We need time to develop all of that and to roll it out -- time that blanket retroactivity might not allow us."

Mukasey's remarks highlighted the rift between the administration and the commission, whose members scolded Justice Department officials last year for misrepresenting their decision in May to relax harsh sentencing guidelines for future crack offenders and a subsequent decision in December to make the new policy retroactive to current inmates.

Washington Post

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/24/AR2008012403381.html

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Yes, let's ignore the recommendations made during Senator Webb's JEC hearing on incarceration rates and put money into cities to INCREASE recidivism.