Massachusetts Steps Away from Mandatory Minimums

by Matt Kelley · 2009-11-19 08:57:00 UTC
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The Massachusetts Senate yesterday passed a bill that would open the possibility of parole for prisoners convicted of nonviolent drug crimes. Many were sentenced under mandatory minimum laws and aren't currently eligible for parole. Finally, amidst budget difficulties, another state is seeing the light.

On its website, Families Against Mandatory Minimums profiles Robert Anger, a Massachusetts prisoner who could potentially be eligible for parole if the bill becomes law. Anger, from Vermont, became addicted to OxyContin as a teenager and soon transitioned to heroin. He began selling cocaine to support his habit and was arrested in Massachusetts in 2004 buying cocaine worth $15,000. He was 22 when a judge sentenced him under mandatory statute to 15 years in prison, saying "I wish I had discretion" as he did it. His full story is here.

Several states are reevaluating mandatory minimum and three-strike laws as they face budget shortfalls. These programs are being cut because they're expensive, and because they don't work. Yes, Robert made a serious mistake and he was more than a simple drug user. But he had begun to turn his life around with his family's help before his first day in prison. His case is another example that a short sentence could have the same impact as long one. We don't need to keep him away from society for 22 years for our safety. He needed a wakeup call, and he got it. Now let's give him another chance.

Matt Kelley is the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project and a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter @mattjkelley.
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