First - time possession of crack carries more severe sentence than crack cocaine . Phillips : Disparity does n't prove anything , it was prompted by 1980s crime wave . Single - parent families are responsible for many social ills , he says . People should try to live virtuous lives and take control of their fate , Phillips says .
First-time possession of crack carries more severe sentence than powder cocaine . Phillips : Disparity does n't prove racism , it was prompted by 1980s crime wave . One-parent families are responsible for many social ills , he says . People should try to live virtuous lives and take control of their fate , Phillips says .