These are sobering statistics . First-time possession of crack carries more severe sentence than powder cocaine . The U.S. Sentencing Commission has set a mandatory minimum for the first offense at five years in prison and up to 20 years. 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 .
First-time possession of crack carries more severe sentence than powder cocaine . The U.S. Sentencing Commission has set a mandatory minimum for the first offense at five years in prison and up to 20 years. 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 .