Mandatory Minimum Sentences

[Ambrosious]

Yesterday, during the MLK celebration here in ATL, Corretta Scott(milking a name for all I can) King said that in order to end strife and disharmony in this country, we needed to end racial profiling, and MANDATORY SENTENCING. Swear to God!

My question: How is Mandatory Minimum Sentences for crime committed a racial issue? If you commit a crime, you have to do the time, whether you or black, white, hispanic, or purple like Barney. My ONLY thought when she made that statement was that if you want to stay out of jail, don't commit crime. Seems to simplistic to me, what do you think?

 

[Countess DeWinter]

I think the two may well be related, but mandatory min. sentensing isn't going to effect racial profiling. I read a stat once that said that owners of red sports cars get ticketed more than any other single car. Because all drivers of red sports cars are maniacs? No, because they get watched more closely.
If a particular racial group is "watched" more closely for crimes than another it's just logical that they'll be caught committing crimes more than the groups that aren't "watched."
I think racial profiling is abhorrent, but it must be ferreted out at a deeper level than sentensing.