mr chairman , i rise in support of the waters amendment . 
terrorism is solved with intelligence , prevention not simple mandatory minimums . 
since the enactment of mandatory minimum sentencing for drug users , the federal bureau of prisons budget increased by more than 2 , 016 percent , from two hundred twenty million dollars in 1986 to about four billion four hundred thirty seven million dollars in 2004 . 
african americans comprise 12 percent of the united states population , 15 percent of drug users , 17 percent of cocaine users , but 33 percent of all federal drug convictions and 57 percent of federal cocaine convictions . 
in 1986 , before the mandatory minimums for crack cocaine offenses became effective , the average federal offense for african americans was 11 percent higher than whites . 
following the implementation of mandatory drug sentencing laws , the average drug offense sentence for african americans was 49 percent higher than whites . 
largely as a result of mandatory minimum sentencing statutes , there are now more than 2 , 100 , 000 persons in prison and almost 70 percent of the people behind bars in america are persons of color . 
african americans made up 40 percent of the federal prison population in august , 2003 , up from 31 percent in 1986 before federal mandatory minimums were enacted . 
as a result of mandatory minimum sentencing statutes , particularly with respect to drug crimes , in 2001 , the average federal drug trafficking conviction was 72.7 months while the average federal manslaughter sentence was 34.3 months the average assault sentence 37.7 months , and the average sexual abuse sentence 65.2 months . 
in 1999 , african americans constituted 13 percent of drug users . 
in that same year , african americans constituted 35 percent of drug arrests , 53 percent of drug convictions , and 58 percent of those in prison for drug federal mandatory minimum sentences make african americans more likely to be incarcerated and for longer periods than their white counterparts . 
in the year 2000 , 84.7 percent of crack cocaine cases were brought against african americans even though , in that year , african americans comprised only about 26.6 percent of crack users . 
only 5.6 percent of crack cases that year were brought against caucasians even they constituted 64.4 percent of crack users . 
in the 20 years from 1981 to 2001 , the sentenced portion of the federal prison population grew from about 20 , 000 in 1981 to about 115 , 000 prisoners . 
during that same period , the percentage of drug offenders in federal prison grew from 25 percent to almost 60 percent . 
mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes are the largest drivers of expanding prison populations . 
due to harsh sentencing guidelines , such as the `three-strikes , you 're out , provision ' , a disproportionate number of young black and hispanic men are likely to be imprisoned for life under scenarios in which they are guilty of little more than a history of untreated addiction and several prior drug-related offenses ... ... .states will absorb the staggering cost of not only constructing additional prisons to accommodate increasing numbers of prisoners who will never be released but also warehousing them into old age . 
we all know and are stunned by the staggering statistic cited in the september 2002 issue of the journal racial issues in higher education , that , at that time , there were more african american males in prison than in college . 
mandatory minimums are driving this growth in federal prison populations . 
mandatory minimum drug sentences are also resulting in the disproportionate lengthy incarceration of young african american women . 
from 1986 ( the year mandatory sentencing was enacted ) to 1996 , the number of women sentenced to state prison for drug crimes increased ten fold and has been the main element in the overall increase in the imprisonment of women . 
ninety five percent of female arrests from 1985 to 1996 were drug related and over 80 % of female prison inmates are incarcerated as a result of their association with abusive boyfriends . 
terrorism requires a more comprehensive approach along with major immigration reform not just mandatory minimums . 
