TNJC Blog 2 - 1.26.16

     During chapter two of Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow she brings up various issues that occur due to the War on Drugs. From the many issues that she discusses, including the issues of the Fourth Amendment, the one that stood out the most to me was the issue of mandatory minimum sentencing. Throughout the section “Time Served” she brings up multiple cases of the absurd minimum sentences. For example, Alexander states, “In fact, fifty years to life was the actual sentence given to Leandro Andrade, whose sentence for stealing videotapes was upheld by the Supreme Court.” (Alexander 57) Which is entirely absurd, from my personal opinion, and to make things even more ridiculous… The only thing that he had done was steal three golf clubs from a pro shop and stealing children’s video tapes from a Kmart store. Obviously enough though, Andrade did commit a crime, and no crime should go unpunished. Although, fifty years to life is definitely an extreme sentence for a crime like this. Alexander also compares a murderer’s sentence, and Andrade will serve a longer term which is shattering to think about, as the majority of his life is going to spent in prison. Just by comparing the crime of murder, and the crime of stealing should be an obvious representation of mandatory minimum sentencing. How could someone who killed another human earn less time than someone who only stole a few items, twice? 

     The media should be talking about the issue of mandatory minimum sentencing because I do not think that many people realize just how bad this issue is. Today’s media consists of senseless and unimportant things like the man Donald Trump, who is a completely different story. Stories on celebrities having children, being pregnant, or how they dressed to the Golden Globe Awards is only shown to keep the viewer’s attention, but is not necessary or useful. Honestly, I would say that the majority of the population does not know about the issue of minimum sentencing or topics relating to jail and other related issues. It is most definitely important to know about all of the issues that she presents, this is just the the one issue that stood out to me the most.