Pubdate: Sat, 04 December 1999 Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL) Copyright: 1999 St. Petersburg Times Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/ Forum: http://www.sptimes.com/Interact.html Author: Bob Lanese, Pinellas Park TOUGH PUNISHMENT CURBS DRUG USE Re: Stop Unreasonable Drug Sentences, By Michael R. Bromwich, Nov. 27. During the late'80s and early'90s, the crack cocaine epidemic swept the nation and entered every corner of society. This epidemic not only affected small town America but also devastated inner-cities. Murder rates skyrocketed and we added the term "crack babies" to our vocabulary. The people of America were sick and tired of the carnage and answered by passing legislation making mandatory sentences a reality. Bromwich has regretfully forgotten the faces of those crack babies we saw on the front pages of our newspapers. The Senate passed this powder-cocaine measure last month because it understands that people will not do something - convert cocaine powder into crack - if they are punished swiftly and severely. Could these sentencing guidelines also be the reason why the crack cocaine epidemic isn't front-page news any longer? Could it be that those so called Draconian sentences are actually working? The prisons are full of criminals and the crime rate is dropping. I wonder why? - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart