(Washington D.C.) – Testifying today before the U.S. Sentencing Commission, Rachel Wright, National Director of Right On Crime, spoke in support of proposed amendments aimed at addressing disparities in federal drug sentencing. In a hearing that welcomed experts from around the nation, Wright’s testimony focused on proposed revisions regarding the drug quantity table and methamphetamine purity distinction.

“The Sentencing Commission’s proposed amendments on drug sentencing seek to improve a very complicated and evolving area of law,” Wright said in her testimony. “The sentencing guidelines and the policies surrounding federal drug crimes should change.” 

Wright emphasized that sentencing guidelines should not be overly punitive and urged the Sentencing Commission and others to find options for reprieve for those who can be rehabilitated and reenter society as law abiding taxpayers.  

“The drug quantity table serves a purpose, and quantity does have a valid basis, but it is overly relied upon. Individual roles should also play an important part in measuring the length of the sentence and an individual’s culpability,” Wright testified. “Right On Crime supports revisions that would focus on an individual’s culpability in addition to the quantity.”  

Testifying on the methamphetamine purity distinction, Wright reminded the group that current law was in response to the domestic methamphetamine crisis several decades ago, but today, Wright said that most methamphetamine is now is made in Mexico, smuggled across the border, and is incredibly pure.  

“There is currently a 10-to-1 statutory and guideline ratio where it takes 10 times less pure methamphetamine to trigger the same penalty as it would for a more pure and more detectable amount of methamphetamine,” said Wright. “Purity is a unique proxy only for this methamphetamine drug, and no other drug in the Controlled Substances Act uses purity alone as a proxy for culpability.”  

Wright urged the U.S. Sentencing Commission to eliminate the purity distinction and focus federal sentencing guidelines on the mixture range for all methamphetamine cases.  

“Right On Crime believes that a role-based approach to sentencing, along with eliminating outdated purity distinctions, will ensure that justice is both fair and effective,” Wright concluded. “We urge the Commission to consider these reforms as they continue their important work to improve our federal sentencing system.”

Right On Crime is a national campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation supporting conservative solutions for fewer victims, less crime, and safer communities. The movement was born in Texas in 2007, established as a national campaign in 2010, and leads the way in implementing conservative criminal justice initiatives across the nation that are just, effective, and fiscally responsible. For more information, visit our website at www.RightOnCrime.com. 

For more information or to request an interview, contact Tonya Kerr ([email protected]).