Caddo Commission hoping to send message

The Caddo Commission wants to send a message.

The governing body, with an 8-3 vote, is urging the state Legislature to lessen penalties for marijuana possession.

"Hopefully we can get smarter about how we sentence people," said Commissioner Michael Williams who's name is on the resolution.

The commission's resolution urges the legislature to set a minimum quantity of marijuana for a possession charge and to change the law so that simple possession offenses cannot be enhanced to felony offenses.

"The possessions of small amounts of marijuana are causing mass incarceration and clogging Louisiana's criminal justice system with non-violent offenders," the resolution reads.

According to Louisianans for Responsible Reform, a bi-partisan organization working for sentencing and drug policy reform, one in 14 arrests in the state is for marijuana possession. A first-offense charge for possession of any amount of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail.

According to a 2013 ACLU report, blacks were 3.3 times more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana in Louisiana than whites, based on 2010 data.

"The penalty for the crime is much greater than what the crime is," Commissioner Michael Thibodeaux said.

Deborah Allen, the North Louisiana field representative for the ACLU, commended the commission for taking up the issue.

"It's affecting our kids," Allen said. "We're seeing the trend in the rest of the state with the sheriff and DAs because it's such a burden on them and the taxpayer."

In other business, the commission voted to delay voting on the Dawson Road extension and opted instead to send it to a committee.

@allyburris