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???????????????????????????????BJS??? 202/307-0784?????????????????
???? FEDERAL DRUG LAW CHANGES
???????? LED TO LONGER PRISON SENTENCES
WASHINGTON,
D.C. ? More than 38,200 people were referred to federal prosecutors for alleged
drug offenses during 1999, the Justice Department?s Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS) announced today. ?About
84 percent of these suspects were subsequently charged in a U.S. district
court.
Of the 38,288
suspects federal law enforcement agencies sent to U.S. attorneys, 31 percent
were involved with marijuana, 28 percent cocaine powder, 15 percent crack cocaine,
15 percent methamphetamine, 7 percent opiates and 3 percent other drugs, the
BJS report said.
Comparing 1984
and 1999, the number of drug defendants increased from 11,854 to 29,306.? During this period drug prosecutions
increased from 18 percent of the criminal caseload in 1984 to 32 percent in
1999.
Sixty-five
percent of those charged with a drug offense during 1999 had been arrested
previously?28 percent had? five or more prior arrests.????
Almost 90
percent of drug defendants charged were convicted.? Most (95 percent) of those convicted pleaded guilty to at least
one of the offenses charged.? Ninety-one
percent of those convicted were convicted of drug trafficking.? Only 4 percent were convicted of simple
possession of drugs.
Sixty-two
percent of the convicted drug offenders were subject to a statutory minimum
prison sentence?29 percent to 60 months or less, 30 percent to 61 to 120 months
and 3 percent to
121 months or more, including life
sentences.
Based on a
survey of federal prison inmates, 16 percent of the incarcerated drug offenders
reported being an importer, grower or manufacturer of illegal drugs, 25 percent
said they had distributed drugs to street dealers.
Twenty-eight
percent of the convicted drug defendants received a reduced sentence for
providing substantial assistance to prosecutors.? Additionally, 21 percent received a reduced sentence because they
were identified as a first-time, non-violent drug offender.?
Changes in
federal statutes during the 1980s and 1990s have had a substantial effect on
the processing of defendants convicted in federal courts ? especially drug law
offenders.? All federal offenders
sentenced to a prison term are now required to serve at least 87 percent of the
sentence imposed, and many drug offenders
are subject to minimum terms of imprisonment
based on the type and quantity of the
drug involved.
Between 1986
and 1999, prison terms imposed on drug offenders increased from an average of
62 months to 74 months.? The average
term drug offenders entering prison could expect to serve rose from an average
30 months to 66 months.
During 1999 the
longest prison terms were imposed on drug offenders involved with crack cocaine
(114 months), drug offenders who possessed firearms (133 months) and drug? defendants with extensive prior records (125
months).
The report,
?Federal Drug Offenders, 1999, with Trends 1984-99" (NCJ-187285), was
written by BJS statistician John
Scalia.? Single copies may be obtained
from the BJS
clearinghouse number:
1-800-732-3277.? Fax orders for mail
delivery to 410/792-4358.?
After the release date this report will
be available at:
https://ojp.gov/bjs/abstract/fdo99.htm
?The BJS Internet site is:
https://ojp.gov/bjs/
Additional
criminal justice materials can be obtained from the Office of Justice Programs
homepage at:
? https://ojp.gov
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BJS01170
After hours contact: Stu Smith at
301/983-9354