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One of the worst ideas to come out of the War on Drugs is sentencing enhancement zones. These laws mandate a higher penalty for crimes committed within a certain distance of schools. The intent is noble, but at huge distances like 1,500 feet, the laws are actually harmful.
Just how far is 1,500 feet? Click on the image to understand why school zones fail to keep children safe.
Written by Alternative Spring Break participant Arielle Sharma, drawn by research associate Elydah Joyce, and programmed by Jacob Mitchell
Check out our zones page for updates on the pending Connecticut bill that would roll back these zones, our reports on zones in Connecticut
and Massachusetts, and our zones video.
Our work is made possible by private donations. Can you help us keep going? We can accept tax-deductible gifts online or via paper checks sent to PO Box 127 Northampton MA 01061. Thank you!
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One of our specialties at the Prison Policy Initiative is explaining the geographical implications of criminal justice policy. Watch our video on sentencing enhancement zones to understand how these zones fail to protect children and unfairly target the people of color that are more likely to live in urban areas.
This report authored by Legal Director Aleks Kajstura analyzes Connecticut's 1,500-foot sentencing enhancement zones, mapping the zones in the state's cities and towns and demonstrating both that the law is ineffective, and that it creates an "urban penalty". Be sure to check out our zones issue page for more information.
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Prison Policy Initiative
PO Box 127
Northampton, Mass. 01061
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