New York's Rockefeller Drug Law Reforms Now In Effect

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As many as 1,500 low-level, nonviolent drug offenders will be able to apply for release or shorter sentences under reforms to New York's draconian Rockefeller drug laws that went into effect Wednesday. The partial reforms also mean increased judicial discretion in sentencing, allowing judges to send some offenders to treatment instead of prison.

The reforms were signed into law in April by Gov. David Paterson (D) after he and the state legislature came to agreement on the issue. They build on earlier partial reforms passed in 2004 that addressed the lengthy sentences assigned to more serious drug offenders.

"Under the Rockefeller Drug Laws, we did not treat the people who were addicted. We locked them up," Paterson said Wednesday at the Brooklyn Court House. "Families were broken, money was wasted, and we continued to wrestle with a statewide drug problem. The reforms that take effect today address those problems. By returning judicial discretion to the courtroom, we are reuniting families and fighting criminal activity and addiction in our communities," he said.

Because the reforms eliminate some mandatory minimum sentences and allow judges to order eligible defendants to treatment or diversion over prosecutorial objections, the State District Attorneys Association opposed the reforms. But they were championed by a formidable Drop the Rock coalition of drug policy, criminal justice, social justice, and other groups calling for repeal of the Rockefeller laws, as well as by the now Democrat-controlled legislature and statehouse.

"As someone who spent 12 years behind bars on Rockefeller charges and another 12 fighting the inhumane laws, I am thrilled that the law has been changed," said Anthony Papa, author of 15 Years to Life. "But, Rockefeller will only be real when those who are behind bars are allowed to come home and those who need help get treatment instead of a jail cell."

"New Yorkers fought for decades to reform the draconian Rockefeller drug laws, and we finally succeeded this year," said Gabriel Sayegh of the Drug Policy Alliance. "Now we need to make Rockefeller reform work. Today marks another step towards our state moving in new direction on drug policy, one based on public health and safety. Thankfully, legal and human service agencies are stepping up to implement reform."

"Rockefeller Drug Law reform symbolizes a critical time in our history, where we acknowledge the individual stories and personal struggles of those who have been most affected by such a harsh and racist sentencing scheme," said Shreya Mandal, mitigation specialist for the Legal Aid Society. "These reforms will allow people to reclaim their dignity as we shift from a punitive criminal justice model to a much needed holistic public health model. Now it is time to see this reform through by empowering formerly incarcerated individuals with comprehensive re-entry planning." The Legal Aid Society is already working on 270 cases that should qualify for early release, according to the Associated Press.

But there is still work to be done getting drug offenders out of prison. While as many as 1,500 could get out early, they will leave behind another 12,000 or so, according to the most recent figures from the state Department of Corrections. That's more than 20% of all New York state prisoners.

StopTheDrugWar.org

Drug War Chronicle

10/09/2009

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/...orms_in_effect
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Hmm this is pretty interesting, considering its the USA, one of the most drug-fighting country in the world.
The United States have an outstanding hegemony over the other countries, so this law could mean a reform all over the world.
My opinion is that this is good, but isn't the good end for drug policies. Forced drug treatment has proved to be inefficient here in my country (Brazil). The user has to really wish to stop using drugs, otherwise the addiction will never gone.
There's another side: Who said that every drug user is a drug-addict? There's many people out there who drink alcohol sometimes, and they aren't in need of that, right? There are "cool" marijuana, LSD, psylocibin and even cocaine users, all over the world, and I believe they are the majority.
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Bravo
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Progress... :-)
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1,500 drug offenders out with 12,000 still left behind bars... How many of these are marijuana related, I wonder? It is progress, but these small steps are certainly painful.
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A step in the right direction
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Originally Posted by Killa-B:
Progress... :-)

yeah, but how much?
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thats how I feel too, but its better than nothing 1500 people may be returning to there families years early... and that means a lot
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at least people will be able to see that giving drug users their lives back won't destroy the country

unless fox finds some crazy ass spin to put on it :-)
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In other news, a rabid anti-drug extremist conservative and his followers have been exposed and apprehended after their part in a carefully calculated crime spree. Most of the crimes are robberies that seem to be either small hold-ups or home invasions. Clumsy execution, resulting in a large number of solid clues left at the crime scenes, dozens of witnesses, and high quality video footage of the crimes all helped contribute to this extremist's demise.

The extremist denies any wrongdoing, pointing out that God had chosen him to carry out His holy work. Not heeding the call and following God's plan for him, he reasoned, would be the true crime. The apparent 'human' motive behind the crimes is two-fold:

- Help raise money for the nonprofit organizations "Citizens Against Personal Freedoms", "Keep 'Em Behind Bars", and "Death Sentence for Drug Offenders"

- While illegally raising money for programs pushing their agenda, the uncanny timing of the crime spree allows the unspeakable hypocrisy to be easily blamed on the most *convenient* of scapegoats... newly free beneficiaries of the recent Rockefeller Drug Law Reforms.

This cover-up would theoretically aid the ultra conservative cause by providing additional ammo (imaginary or not) against the recent Rockefeller Reforms, or any similar progressive drug law reform. That these Rush Limbaugh-esque hypocrites collectively did not succeed in their deluded machinations is a triumph for civil rights, non-violent drug users, justice, and humanity!!
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Them assfuck Rockefeller's shoulda been shot and pissed on in the 30's.
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Sorry knowledge of the US is somewhat lacking. They are talking about reforming the laws that were introduced by Rockefeller when he was mayor? Or has the dynasty thrown up another one?

Petsmiles is there an actual organisation called "Death sentence for Drug Offenders", i dont want to google it because im almost certain it will piss me off even to see the search results.
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"if god created plants and buds that I find and abuse, than who the fuck are you to judge me" - Fat Mike

Rehab is ALWAYS the best answer first. Give the offender the chance to change his or her ways before sending them to jail which will just cage them with other criminals who aren't rehabilitating each other.

This is the first thing Paterson has done in a while that I agree with.
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