and NYS is one of the worst offenders! back in the 60's the rockerfeller drug laws, with mandated sentencing time, has resulted in horror stories.. Yesterday's NYTimes had the story of a 78 year woman, sentence to a 20 year term in her 60's.. for a first offences. she was poor, and didn't have an education. an accident broke her hip.. she had no health coverage.. unable to get work, with out enought money to live on, she became, at age 60, a drug dealer.. she was convicted on her first offence, but since she had more than 1 ounce of drugs, 20 years, no appeals, no early release, nothing..
I not saying we should go easy on drug dealers, and in many ways, its been good for her, better food, housing and medical care, eduaction, and other activites. but in 3 years, she'll be 81, homeless, no social security, no health care (she'll have to get welfare and medicade) in terms of punitive effect, one or two years would have been just as effective.
NYS prisions are welfare for the middle class. built in rural areas, they are a source of jobs, and keep small towns viable..
a prison needs guards, and kitchen staff, and mechanics, and cars/transport, it need administrative staff, and doctors, and all sorts of folk. and all these folks need houses, and doctors, and dentist, and car dealers, contractors, schools, etc.) so there is no ground swell to change the law! It is embarassing to thinking people.
