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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org
LOS ANGELES—Earlier this week, Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Fair Sentencing Act (SB 1010), legislation that will help end sentencing disparities for communities of color who frequently face harsher penalties within California’s justice system. This legislation, which NCLR (National Council of La Raza) co-sponsored, will reduce penalties for the sale of crack cocaine to the same levels as those for the sale of powdered cocaine. NCLR applauds Gov. Brown, State Sen. Holly Mitchell, who introduced the bill, and her co-author, State Sen. Ricardo Lara, for working to make certain that all Californians are treated fairly by the courts.
“We commend Governor Brown for signing this pragmatic sentencing reform bill which helps ensure that everyone across California is treated equally under the law. For years California’s judicial system has been unfair to some of our most vulnerable socioeconomic communities, and too often it targets people of color,” said Delia de la Vara, NCLR Vice President, California Region. “Today’s progress is a direct result of community leaders, nonprofit organizations and families working together for a just sentencing law. Though we celebrate this incredible accomplishment, we recognize that more work is needed to build a stronger community.”
Between 2005 and 2010, Latinos accounted for close to 20 percent of those in jail for possession with the intent to sell crack cocaine, while blacks accounted for more than 75 percent. Previous sentencing guidelines often resulted in people of color receiving longer prison sentences. SB 1010, which will be implemented in January, will not only equalize sentencing for the two offenses, it will also give judges more discretion to sentence a person to probation.
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