Task Force Applauds U.S. Sentencing Commission on New Guidelines for Sentencing Non-Violent Drug Offenders

WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 6, 2014 —The U.S. Sentencing Commission has voted unanimously to apply a reduction in sentencing guidelines to most drug offenders. Starting November 2015, offenders may be eligible for reductions in their sentencing.

“LGBT people and in particular LGBT people of color, who are disproportionately likely to face discrimination in employment, are often forced into the underground economy and as a result are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system,” said Meghan Maury, Task Force Policy Counsel.

“The U.S. Sentencing Commission’s new policy means that thousands of offenders, who have already served long sentences for non-violent drug crimes, will have the chance to return home to their families and communities. And like all improvements to the criminal justice system, this new policy helps to improve the lives of the members of our community who are most in need.

“We thank the U.S. Sentencing Commission for listening to our calls for justice for LGBT prisoners,” Maury said.

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