NAACP Sentencing Presser

NAACP member come to represent those who are unjustly charged extended sentences for minor crimes.

The time does not fit the crime.

That is the message today from the families of people who have been behind bars for years.

At a news conference today in west point, the presidents of the naacp for lowndes, oktibbeha, clay and noxubee counties talked about the need for criminal justice reform.

The naacp is speaking on behalf of many families who want judges in the 16th circuit court district to consider parole recommendations.

They say many sentences are excessive for crimes that are non-violent, citing 20 years for writing a bad check or 40 years for a drug conviction.

The sentencing laws in the 90s were so severely harsh and burdensome on people - 60 years for the sale of $20 worth of drugs.

I mean, it's ridiculous.

Now you can't even get that kind of time.

But what has happened is the people who received that time are being left behind.

They're being left behind.

The local chapters say they hope the circuit judges will give parole consideration to people with older sentences.

Sot take