In Support of Legislation to Eliminate all Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Convictions and Concentrate Federal Resources Aimed at the Prosecution of Drug Offenses on Those Major Offenses

WHEREAS, it is the stated policy of the NAACP to oppose all mandatory minimum sentences; and

WHEREAS, since the enactment of mandatory minimum sentencing for drug users, the Federal Bureau of Prisons budget increased by more than one thousand, three hundred and fifty percent over the last ten years; and

WHEREAS, it has been shown that mandatory minimums have not reduced sentencing discrepancies but rather have transferred discretion from judges to prosecutors; and

WHEREAS, African-Americans comprise twelve percent of the United States population, fifteen percent drug users, seventeen percent of cocaine users; but, thirty-three percent of all federal drug convictions and fifty-seven percent of Federal cocaine convictions are African-American.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP supports and endorses legislation introduced in the 106th Congress by Congresswoman Maxine Waters, of California, H.R. 1681, a bill to concentrate federal resources aimed at the prosecution of drug offenses on those major offenses.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP call upon the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate to pass H.R. 1681 and for President Clinton to sign this legislation into law.