Mukasey wants police support to prevent prisoner releases

[CatWoman]

Mukasey said he wanted to spike "misperceptions" in press reports about reported minimal dangers from the expected early release of about 1,500 convicted crack cocaine inmates who are to begin receiving their freedom in March.

Judges could ultimately free nearly 20,000 inmates following a recommendation by the U.S. Sentencing Commission that the prisoners be released early because they were victims of disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine convictions. Most crack users are black, while powder users are white.

"Nearly 80 percent of those eligible ... have a prior criminal record," Mukasey told hundreds of members of the Fraternal Order of Police. "This tells us those who are eligible for early release are very likely to commit another crime."

Mukasey also said 95 percent of those eligible for release are male. "We believe that this statistic will help to alleviate the concern expressed by some that the eligible offenders were simply girlfriends just caught up with their boyfriends," Mukasey said.

He also rejected the claim that they were involved in one-time "hand to hand" street sales, saying the average crack prisoner had trafficked in 500 doses.

Law enforcement officers are in Washington this week to lobby Congress on crime issues, and Justice Department officials said they hope the police will press the need to change cocaine sentencing laws that could endanger the public.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/02/25/cocaine.sentencing/index.html

[Solly Mack]

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