The United States of Incarceration
Introduction
As we near the end of 2015, racial discrimination remains an issue that can quickly create controversy and heated debate. The ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement has become a common topic for families, which many believing that minorities are treated more harshly than whites in similar incidents. However, this movement should widen the scoop of its focus to include the discrimination not just of law enforcement officials, but also of the criminal justice system itself. Disparities in sentencing have skyrocketed since the 1980s and this increase is pushed by the war on drugs. Despite the clear evidence showing that sentencing reform must become a priority for policymakers due to both the social and economic aspects of this issue, things remain the same. The purpose of this essay is to inform the debate on sentencing reform, race, and education. …show more content…
There are three main purposes for this commission which include establishing sentence policies, practices, and guidelines for the federal courts to consult, advising and assisting Congress and the executive branch in the development of effective and efficient crime policies, and collecting, analyzing, and distributing a broad array of information on federal crime and sentencing issues to Congress, the executive branch, the courts, criminal justice practitioners, the academic community, and the public (USSC). Federal judges are provided with sentencing guidelines deemed by the USSC to be fair and consistent sentencing ranges by taking into account both the seriousness of the criminal conduct and the defendant’s criminal record. There are seven voting members who are appointed by the president and after confirmation by the Senate, these members serve six-year terms. At least three of the commissioners must be federal judges and no more than four may belong to the same political