Mandatory minimum sentences are automatic, minimum prison terms set by Congress. Judges in the U.S. are required to base their sentences on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, mandatory minimum sentencing laws, or both. In 1986 the U.S. Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act which enacted new mandatory minimum sentences for drugs. People caught with 5 grams of crack cocaine were given jail sentences of 5 years without parole (the same sentence as people caught with 500 grams). The legislation was in response to the moral panic involving the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980’s. In 201…
Read more@ISIDEWITH6yrs6Y
No
@9FNTCQZ8mos8MO
My best counter argument of the Mandatory minimum prison sentence is because some people deserve to be in prison. In my opinion, it tells me if you made it to jail for let alone prison you have done something bad in order to get there.
@ISIDEWITH6yrs6Y
Yes
We should give community service, require mental health services, and provided reform instead of resorting to prisons.
@9F86MXC8mos8MO
Drug users are victims of a myriad of different circumstances, and further punishing them for addictions is immoral
@ISIDEWITH6yrs6Y
@8PPBWMZ3yrs3Y
All drugs should be legalized at a federal level
Yes, but only for drug dealers and for users there should be a mandatory rehab sentence.
@8PKWJB23yrs3Y
Should it be the same sentence for all drugs?
@9D9TN4F9mos9MO
No, unless a violent crime is committed, and if so, punitive measures should be related to the violent crime and not drug possession
@8XQT4ZN2yrs2Y
All drugs should be legal so this is irrelevant
@8GQSF754yrs4Y
It depends on what type of drug it is, if they are a drug dealer, if they are selling it to kids and harming others, etc.
@8X54X5C3yrs3Y
@8KBYFLRIndependent4yrs4Y
joe biden wants to decriminalize all drugs this isn’t even correct.
@936LWGN2yrs2Y
@932WSM72yrs2Y
@9CYQ6J7Independent10mos10MO
Yes, but only if they refuse treatment
@927XF452yrs2Y
@99MFTPG1yr1Y
Yes, but only if they refuse rehabilitation
@8XB4BPR3yrs3Y
The focus for drug use and possession should have a larger focus on rehabilitation for drug use/abuse as opposed to criminalizing the users at all. The decriminalization of hard drugs and funding research into rehabilitation would allow more people to seek out help and rehabilitation instead of facing criminal charges for something that is out of their control. TL;DR: Decriminalize hard drugs and put funding into rehabilitation so more people can confidently seek out help.
@8GRVGKGRepublican4yrs4Y
Yes, but the sentence needs to be fair, the sentence should be based on the drug they were charged on
@9DZSN4Z9mos9MO
No, users should be put into some kind of institution specifically for them, and for dealers it should depend on the drug
@LegislationCheeseSocialist9mos9MO
I understand your point about users needing help rather than punishment, and differentiating between dealers based on the drug. However, it's crucial to remember that creating separate institutions for users can potentially stigmatize them further, rather than helping them reintegrate into society. For instance, Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001 and instead of imprisonment, they focused on treating drug use as a public health issue. This led to significant reductions in problematic drug use, HIV and Hepatitis infection rates, overdose deaths, drug-related crime and incarceration rates.
Do you think such a model could work in other countries or do you believe there are unique cultural or societal factors that might affect its success?
Deleted2yrs2Y
Yes, but except case that possessed by mistake.
@8LJH638Progressive4yrs4Y
Not for weed possession or use. We should decriminalize drugs in general.
@8GPC4BH4yrs4Y
No victimless crimes aren’t crimes
@8PSJX633yrs3Y
There should be no drug charges at all
@8LZ5TKSLibertarian4yrs4Y
No, victimless crimes should not be charged
@8GPCR7T4yrs4Y
Legalize drugs so this is no longer an issue
@8KRBRKBConstitution4yrs4Y
There one thing i know and thats that drug use won't stop. dare has apsoluty no efect on drug use otherwise there a chance that it went up. the people who made this study was bullyed into lying about it. realy what we should do is put drug care spot so they can get drugged with medical care to help with overdoses. that way better then putting people to jail for an adiction. that like being arested because of having the flu. so the answer is no they should make drug spots so they won't die.
@8HB997P4yrs4Y
No, most drugs should be legalized and the population left to sort itself out. Jail should only be used for people infringing on OTHERS' rights.
@8GP94TLIndependent4yrs4Y
I think less prison time for offenses like this and maximum for rapists , pedophiles , child abusers , etc
@8KGCRHS4yrs4Y
Biden used to support Mandatory minimum sentences, but he changed his position
No, We should give community service, require mental health services, and provide reform instead of resorting to prisons.
@8SB73WB3yrs3Y
No, and abolish all mandatory minimums.
@8RB5VYS3yrs3Y
@8PSZ8SN3yrs3Y
no, instead mandatory rehab
@8PSSRDD3yrs3Y
No, they should not be in prison in the first place. If they are an addict they should be in rehab and if they are a dealer put them on house arrest or watch their every move so that we can free up space in prisons.
@8NFGZ6G4yrs4Y
Yes, however it depends on the severity of the drug
@8L8XDJQRepublican4yrs4Y
@8FVG5PY4yrs4Y
Yes But, lower the minimum
@8DXDD9C4yrs4Y
not for marijuana. anything else, yes.
@8D5XKMQLibertarian4yrs4Y
Weed no. Other drugs yes
@8CZG44W4yrs4Y
Yes, but only for drug dealers, drug users should be put in rehab
@8CSDL6NRepublican4yrs4Y
Depends on the drug in their possession.
@8CNXQDP4yrs4Y
Drug use should not be a crime.
@9HKRSQP 5mos5MO
Yes, but only for drug users, not dealers. Someone using drugs needs mental help and should be treated with help versus people who are killing others by dealing drugs.
The historical activity of users engaging with this question.
Loading data...
Loading chart...
Loading the political themes of users that engaged with this discussion
Loading data...