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October 24, 2004
President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Re: Clemency for Non-Violent Drug Offenders
Dear Mr. President:
For over three decades the United States has pursued an unjust policy in dealing with addiction – the failed war on drugs. This policy results in annual arrests of more than 1.5 million people and the current incarceration of more than 400,000. When U.S. voters have been given the opportunity to express their opinion in voter initiatives they have consistently supported treatment instead of prison for non-violent drug offenders by large margins.
As someone who has acknowledged having a substance abuse problem you understand the importance of treatment for addiction. I’m sure you also recognize that if you had been incarcerated for cocaine use you probably would not have gone on to have the career you have had. Therefore, you should be especially sensitive to the need for correcting the injustice of incarceration for non-violent drug offenses.
I am writing to urge you to support the call for clemency made to President Clinton in 2000 by 400 religious leaders by the Coalition for Jubilee Clemency (see enclosed). The injustice of the drug war was recently highlighted in Washington, DC when Jonathan Magbie, a 27-year-old, first-time marijuana offender and quadriplegic – paralyzed from the neck down – was sentenced to 10 days in the D.C. jail for possession of marijuana by Judge Judith Retchin – marijuana he said made the symptoms of his illness feel better. The prosecutor, pre-sentence agency and defense lawyer urged probation. Mr. Scott died in prison because of poor medical treatment.
The Federal prison population has grown, from 25,000 in the 1970s to 40,000 in 1986 to 178,000 now. Prisoners sentenced for drug offenses constituted the largest group of Federal inmates (55%) in 2001. Federal prisons held 78,501 sentenced drug offenders, compared to 52,782 in 1995. The Federal prison system is at 33 percent overcapacity, thus releasing non-violent drug offenders will reduce the serious health and safety risks associated with overcrowding. I urge clemency for low-level, nonviolent involvement drug offenders who have served one year in prison. This would be more than 30,000 prisoners. This could save the federal government more than $1 billion annually and allow people to rebuild their lives and become productive citizens.
By taking action on non-violent federal drug offenders you will set an example for the states to follow. There are more than 2.1 million persons being held in prisons and jails convicted of criminal charges. The cost of housing these prisoners has grown enormously. The nation’s adult correctional budget in FY 2002 exceeded $40 billion.
It is urgent that the U.S. reverse the incarceration binge. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that if incarceration rates remain unchanged, an estimated 1 of every 20 Americans (5%) can be expected to serve time in prison during their lifetime. For African-American men, the number is greater than 1 in 4 (28.5%). You can lead by using your clemency power to reverse this trend.
Sincerely,
Ralph Nader
http://www.votenader.org/media_press/index.php?cid=317 |
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