End the War on Drugs
America's drug laws are out of control. Over the past four decades, the war on drugs has led to a shocking increase in the number of Americans serving long sentences for low level, nonviolent drug offenses.
It's time for the United States to reexamine its criminal justice system and start addressing drug use with reason, science and compassion.
Legislation in Congress would create a bipartisan commission to fix
America's failed drug policies and broken criminal justice system. The commission has the potential to make the criminal justice system more fair and effective and reduce the social harms caused by the war on drugs.
Urge your representative to join the call for criminal justice reform by
supporting the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010.
Dear Representative,
I believe that our nation's criminal justice system is in dire need of repair. The United States is home to just five percent of the world's population, but it hosts 25 percent of the world's prison population. Over the past four decades, the war on drugs has led to an astonishing and unacceptable increase in the number of Americans behind bars.
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A criminal justice approach to illicit drug use has resulted in arrests for low-level, nonviolent drug crimes on a massive scale, and lengthy mandatory minimum prison sentences have stripped judges of discretion and cost state and federal governments many billions of dollars. Because of these failed policies, families and communities are torn apart every day, and communities of color have been disproportionately impacted.
It's time to reexamine the United States' criminal justice system. The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010 (HR 5143) would create a national commission to evaluate every aspect of the criminal justice system, including drug policy, and set the groundwork for the reforms we so desperately need.
I urge you to join the call for criminal justice reform by supporting HR 5143.
