The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

Don't be daunted by the fact that this is a "gang" bill. This bill broadens the definition of gangs and metes out even harsher punishments for offenses that already have very long sentences. Mandatory minimum sentences are bad regardless of the crime because they prevent judges from making distinctions between defendants and sentencing them according to their culpability. Instead, mandatory minimums impose one-size-fits-all sentencing, which guarantees injustices.

THE ISSUE
H.R. 1279, the "Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005," includes many new and increased mandatory minimum sentences. House members need to hear from their constituents that this bill is full of mandatory minimum sentences that will not help deter youth involvement in gangs; it will cost an estimated $7 billion dollars over the next 10 years; and it is an unnecessary federal intrusion into matters traditionally handled by the states.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH H.R. 1279?
For a complete analysis of the bill, go to the FAMM website www.famm.org. The short list of grievances we have with the bill is that it:

- Adds many new mandatory minimum penalties to the criminal street gangs statute;
- Broadens the definition of a street gang, and changes the definition of crime of violence to include drug trafficking crimes that involve no violence whatsoever;
- Increases from five to seven years the mandatory consecutive sentence for carrying or possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense or violent felony;
- Increases the mandatory penalty for discharging a firearm from ten to 15 years, and
- Makes defendants convicted of "conspiracy" to commit drug trafficking or crimes of violence eligible for the mandatory consecutive firearm penalties if a firearm is involved, even if the defendant did not possess or use the firearm.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Call your Representative between now and Wednesday, May 11th, the anticipated day of the vote, to let him/her know you don't support the bill. You can reach your member of Congress by clicking the "take action" link at the top of this e-mail, inserting your home zipcode in the box on the right or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. When calling, you do not need to say much more than the short paragraph that appears when you look up your Representative.

E-mails and letters are important too. To e-mail or print a letter to send to your Representative, please copy and paste this link into a web browser and it will allow you to send a message http://capwiz.com/famm/utr/1/GTAHERCBVU/OAGIERCKBD/

ACT NOW
Thank you for taking action on this important bill. Your calls and e-mails can make a big difference, so please act now and ask your family and friends to do the same.