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NYCLU Says Rockefeller Drug Laws Create Racial Disparities
Thu, May 22, 2008 Testifying today at a legislative hearing in Rochester, the New York Civil Liberties Union said there is stark racial disparities and enormous taxpayer burden caused by the Rockefeller Drug Laws in Monroe County.
Gary Pudup, director of the NYCLU’s Genesee Valley Chapter and a retired Monroe County Sheriff’s police lieutenant, testified at the joint hearing of the State Assembly’s standing committees on codes, judiciary, correction, health, alcoholism and drug abuse, and social services.
“I am a 29-year veteran of drug law enforcement in upstate New York, and it is my opinion that the state’s approach to the drug problem has been ineffective and harmful,” Pudup said. “If the individuals arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated under the Rockefeller Drug Law had received treatment and rehabilitation services, many, if not most, would never have become enmeshed in the criminal justice system.”
Using a map created by the NYCLU and Justice Mapping Center, Pudup showed legislators that 25 percent of adults sent to prison from Rochester came from areas with only 7 percent of the city’s population. Nearly one and three is imprisoned on drug offenses and 92 percent are black or Latino.
According to the most recent census data, whites outnumber blacks in Monroe County by 81 percent to 15 percent. Yet, only six of every 100,000 white county residents are in prison on drug offenses compared to 175 of every 100,000 black county residents. This disparity occurs despite research indicating that whites are the principal users and purveyors of drugs in New York State.
A second map showed that state taxpayers will spend more than $27.5 million to imprison Rochester residents convicted of drug offenses in 2006, which accounts for 22 percent of all incarceration costs for Rochester residents sent to prison that year.
“This represents an unconscionable waste of scarce resources that would be much better spent on treatment programs, economic development and community renewal in those neighborhoods most adversely affected by the war on drugs,” Pudup said.
Enacted in 1973, the Rockefeller Drug Laws mandate extremely harsh prison terms for the possession or sale of relatively small amounts of drugs. Supposedly intended to target drug kingpins, most of the people incarcerated under these laws are convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses, and many of them have no prior criminal record.
“The Rockefeller Drug Laws have neither curbed drug use nor enhanced public safety. Instead, they have ruined thousands of lives and annually wasted millions in tax dollars in prison costs,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman, who did not testify. “Our lawmakers must act now to end these inhumane and unjust laws and restore judicial discretion to drug sentencing.” | |
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Under the Rockefeller Drug Laws, many families were destroyed as Monroe County used prison as the alternative resolution. Instead of offering employment with decent pay in which whites have always received, discriminatory justices chose incarceration.
Monroe County has done much disservice to/for the future relations of Black families to an extreme detriment. What we are now witnessing in the community is the "Theory of Erosion". Meaning, the aftermath of a systemic history of "masked hatred" through the use of punishment in the name of falsehood justice - legalized hangings (or if you're religious - crucifixtions).
AmiriAmani
Gary Pudup is a laughable disgraceful. An ex-police officer running an organization for justice...how funny is that ? He sits in his office and collects a paycheck with no results of advocating for anything.
Put up or Shut up...I think he chose to SHUT, Mr. Pudup.
Speaking Truthfully
I currently live in New York City where I was born and raised however, I lived upstate NY for approximately 15 years in Sullivan County. When I moved upstate, I thought that I would be getting away from drugs however, my experience afforded me with the opportunity of observing numerous people using and selling various types of drugs. I harbor no judgment because the only way I could observe this is through participation (at the time). However, the major point is, I did observe many whites using drugs, and no, they did not go to prison. Alcoholism was a big problem also and resulted in many of the women auxiliary organizations advocating and eventually instituting "dry towns" meaning that no alcohol was sold in a town. This served somewhat as a deterrent, however beer, wine and in some cases liquor was sold at the major supermarkets. I also have friends who are Caucasian and they use drugs of various types and in much higher quantities that I have seen with my Black or Hispanic counterparts and no, they are not looked at as criminals and no they have never been in a prison. It behooves everyone to keep in mind that although use of certain drugs are against the law, American is a drug oriented culture. It has recently come out that more people are addicted to legal drugs in deference to legal. This is something that we all should consider when we seek to criminalize Blacks and Hispanics.
Pearl
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