Abolish Racist System of Mandatory Sentencing

permission Benito Vegas      

Abolish the Racist System of Mass Incarcerations

Ex-Prisoners and Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement (EPOCA) is a member organization of Jobs Not Jail.  EPOCA is located in Worcester Massachusetts. On June 8 and 9 they held events in Worcester and Boston to end the racist system of Mass Incarcerations

On June 8, 2015 EPOCA organized a rally and standout at the Worcester County Courthouse garnering support for the larger rally and legislative hearing on the June 9, 2015. About fifteen people participated in a spirited

way drawing attention to their issues.

EPOCA  at Court House

On June 9, 2015 two busses of members of EPOCA and their supporters left Worcester City Hall for Boston. There they joined up with hundreds of families and people from across Massachusetts. In addition it was announced that about 130 religious and labor organizations were at the rally and hearings.

Busses at City Hall

The issue they rallied for is the abolition of mandatory minimum sentencing especially for non violent drug offenses. These incarcerations disrupt families for long periods of times and have a severe economic impact on them. As for the peopled receiving the sentences they are taken out of the economic system with little chance of reentry in a meaningful capacity.

Rally at State House

Minimum sentencing is of course racist as it affects the poorer communities most often especially communities of color. An example of this is the use of a CORI by an employer, whose use might be “colorblind” or neutral, but the adverse impact is negative.

The Center for Progressive Legislation is also lobbying for an end to mandatory minimum sentencing.

In Massachusetts there are mandatory minimum sentencings for Operation Under the Influence, Firearms, Stalking, and Drug violations. The minimum sentences for OUI may at a Judge’s discretion be reduced to alcohol treatment for a minimum of fourteen days. Firearms mandatory minimum sentence is one year incarceration. Stalking is mandatory sentence is also one year incarceration.

For the selling of pot the mandatory minimum sentence is three years. For the selling of heroin the mandatory minimum sentence is seven years.

It has been noted that when there were no drug laws in the United States during the 19^th Century the addiction rate was three percent of the population. When drugs laws were established in the United States during the 20^th Century the addiction rate of the population increased.  There is a statistical significance between the establishment and enforcement of drug laws and the increase in addiction and drug related violence.