How much is 25 grams of cocaine?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For example, only a one-half gram of cocaine is required for
conviction of Class D felony possessionand 1,242 people are in prison
for that offense.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/01/07/usdom793.htm
Thousands of drug offenders have ended up in prison as a result of
these laws. Few are significant traffickers. According to the
Department of Correctional Services, there were 22,407 drug offenders
under custody as of September 1, 1998. Twenty-five percent of them
were convicted of simple drug possession. Sixty percent were convicted
of the three lowest feloniesClass C, D, or Ewhich involve only
minute drug amounts. For example, only a one-half gram of cocaine is
required for conviction of Class D felony possessionand 1,242 people
are in prison for that offense.
The DCS analysis also reveals that one in five of the drug offenders
under its custody4,450 peoplehad no prior felony convictions.
Another 7,501 had only one prior conviction. That is, more than half
(53.4%) of the drug offenders in prison had one or no prior
convictions.
Because of the severe and rigid sentencing scheme mandated by the drug
laws, low-level drug offenders face years in prison. According to the
DCS analysis of the sentences of the total population of drug
offenders under its custody, the average maximum sentence for first
felony offenders convicted of a Class B felony is 87.6 months, 68.1
months for a Class C felony, 56.5 months for a Class D felony, and
42.4 months for a Class E felony. Even if an offender does not serve
the maximum period behind bars, his or her liberty remains conditional
until the maximum period is completed.
On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 08:01:43 -0500, Joel M. Eichen
<joeleichen@yahoo.com> wrote: