Lower Sentences for Federal Drug Offenders?

By Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma

People convicted of non-violent federal drug crimes face staggering penalties in the form of “bone-crushing” mandatory minimums and draconian federal sentencing guidelines. But the U.S. Sentencing Commission just announced that it has voted to accept comments on a proposed amendment to the drug guidelines that would lower them by two levels across the board. That would result, on average, in sentences that are eleven months lower than the current sentences under the guidelines. The Commission still has to vote on the changes, and continues to emphasize that it supports reform of the mandatory minimums, which can only be changed by Congress.