Home Alone: Children of Incarcerated Mothers in New York City under the Rockefeller Drug Laws

Authors

Aron M. Zimmerman, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Abstract

The Rockefeller Drug Laws of 1973, among the harshest in the nation, have failed to reduce drug trafficking or abuse and have instead led to unjust outcomes, disproportionately impacting racial minorities and women. These laws, which mandate draconian sentences based solely on drug type and quantity, tie judges' hands and prioritize incarceration over treatment, despite evidence that treatment is more cost-effective and reduces recidivism. Recent reforms offer some progress, but significant systemic changes are needed to address the laws' ongoing harm and restore judicial discretion in sentencing.

Disciplines

Criminal Law | Criminal Procedure | Law | Law and Gender | Law Enforcement and Corrections

Recommended Citation

Aron M. Zimmerman, Home Alone: Children of Incarcerated Mothers in New York City under the Rockefeller Drug Laws, 12 Cardozo J. Equal Rts. & Soc. Just. 445 (2005).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cardozoersj/vol12/iss1/23