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Gerald Ford on Drugs President of the U.S., 1974-1977; Republican Rep. (MI)

Mandatory sentencing for federal drug offenders

I suggested mandatory prison terms for federal offenses committed with firearms or other dangerous weapons, and the same for hijackers, kidnapers and traffickers in hard drugs. Fines or prison terms, I added, should relate directly to the gravity of the offense. Fines were woefully low and did nothing to deter offenders whose business was crime. For antitrust legislation, I recommended that maximum fines be increased to $100,000 for an organization, to make the penalty commensurate with the crime.

Mandatory 5-year minimum sentence for 4 ounces of heroin

• Increases penalties for manufacturing, distributing, or possessing a mixture or substance containing any amount of heroin or morphine.
• States that if the person was convicted of the offense with respect to less than 4 ounces of such substance, he would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 5 years nor more than 15 years imprisonment, and could also be fined not more than $50,000.
• Provides that if the perso was convicted of the offense with respect to 4 ounces or more of such substance, he would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 10 years, or for life, and could be fined not more than $100,000.
• States that, if a person convicte of an offense involving less than 4 ounces had previously been convicted of a felony relating to heroin or morphine, he shall be subject to a minimum mandatory sentence of not less than 10 years and may be fined not more than $100,000.