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It's how they make an intimidating threat to push for cooperation and look maximally generous when the sentence is reduced. Makes perfect sense.

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That doesn't make any sense, everyone on the receiving end of these threats has a lawyer. Even the shittiest public defender will translate this for you.

These numbers exist solely for the audiences at home.

Same with the "street value" they cite in drug busts. Sure, that guy with 100kg of coke is going to be selling it in little 1g baggies.

Getting OT here but at least the end-user cost in that case is some kind of "normalized impact on society" if you're looking for a number to compare different busts with.

Well, that's a lie which at times has real impact on trial outcomes. I wouldn't really put it in the same category.

Sentences for federal drug crimes are based on substance weight, not value.

> Sentences for federal drug crimes are based on substance weight, not value.

Depends on which federal drug crimes. The drug kingpin law is based on $, not weight.

Yes, but federal drug crimes are not the only kind of drug crimes.

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