Smarter Sentencing Act

Attorney General Eric Holder questions the effectiveness of the war on drugs. Could this be the beginning of major drug policy reform?Attorney General Eric Holder Issues Major Sentencing Changes, Begins to Question War on DrugsSAN FRANCISCO-In a speech to the American Bar Association today Attorney General Eric Holder announced major federal sentencing changes, including dropping the use of mandatory minimum sentencing in certain drug cases, expediting the release of certain nonviolent elderly prisoners, leaving more offenses to state courts to deal with, and working with Congress to pass bi-partisan sentencing reform.In the speech, Holder said, “As the so-called ‘war on drugs’ enters its fifth decade, we need to ask whether it and the approaches that comprise it, have been truly effective.” He went on to say, “[T]oo many Americans go to too many prisons for far too long, and for no truly good law enforcement reason.” In an interview with […]