Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reform

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Linden Sanders Mrs. Downs English 8 30 April 2024 Criminal Justice Reform From various perspectives, the courtroom is perceived as too harsh and unbalanced in terms of race. This has caused an increase in the prison population and a major uproar over how courtrooms and sentencing should be managed. Abolishing minimum mandatory sentencing laws and reducing bail for non-violent crimes will result in fairness and equality in the courtrooms. First, mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines should be removed because they require people who commit non-violent crimes to serve the same amount of jail time as violent criminals. The text states, "People who commit nonviolent crimes are given the same sentences as those who have used violence" (Getting …show more content…
Mandatory minimum sentence laws should be reformed so certain racial groups are not unfairly treated. Furthermore, people who cannot afford bail are stuck in jail and are incapable of providing for their families. According to the text, "Because they are in jail, they can't go to their jobs or be with their families" (Bail Reform Will Level the Playing Field). Bail amounts should be lowered because non-violent criminals lose their jobs because they cannot pay the high amount, causing them to lose their jobs. Apart from this, the text says "Even without bail, most people show up for their trial date and most people do not commit new crimes while waiting for trial" (Bail Reform Will Level the Playing Field). By lowering bail amounts, more people will be able to rebuild their lives and find a job while awaiting trial. However, some people think minimum sentencing laws are necessary to help keep their communities safer. The text states "One criticism of removing mandatory minimum sentencing laws is that it doesn't replace prison sentences with services such as drug counseling or job training" (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reform: More Needs to be

Mass Incarceration Analysis

Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan took office and, in 1984, introduce mandatory minimums. Reagan implemented these minimums to counteract the growing crack epidemic of the 1980s. Although Reagan’s mandatory minimums did lower the use of crack and other illicit substances by a small margin, mandatory minimums had significantly affected communities of color. Because of the mandatory minimums, family members from urban communities were being imprisoned for long periods of time, which…

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Arguments For Prison Reform

Prison Reform Many believe that prison reform will not benefit the criminal justice system in this country. Prison reform is the process in which the prison system tries to reduce the amount of prisoners in prisons across the country. There is a very high number of prisoners locked up. The argument is that people should not be put into prison for non-violent; crimes that is why the prison system is overcrowded. People who are for prison reform think that the answer lies within eliminating harsh sentencing…

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Pros And Cons Of Mandatory Minimum Sentencing

been a myriad of discussion and arguments on both sides of the aisle, when it comes to ideas and reform on minimum sentencing guidelines. Should judges be allowed to adjust sentences as they see fit, based on the totality of the circumstances of the case before them, or should each respective legislative body put strict guidelines in place that are not to be tampered with, leaving judges only a minimum of leeway one certain specific cases? There has been decisions made by the Supreme Court that upholds…

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Essay On Mandatory Minimums

Reforming the criminal justice reform has been a focus of bipartisan support in the United States for decades, and lately the idea has turned into a political reality. The repeal of mandatory minimums has been the major concern of criminal rights activists fighting for change, in order to reduce the overcrowding of prisons and shift focus to rehabilitation of criminal offenders rather than punishment. The American criminal justice system should repeal mandatory minimums for low-level, nonviolent offenders…

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Sentencing In The 20th Century

system during the late 20th Century were the revolution of the sentencing system. Known as mandatory minimum sentencing, Congress in 1984 enacted a mechanism that replaced indeterminate sentencing with a determinate federal sentencing. Judicial discretion were now restricted and were instructed to follow a specific guideline when determining sentencing. The judge would impose strict and harsh federal sentencing based off a sentencing table the judge would use to calculate a sentence based off the…

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Arguments Against Mandatory Minimums

for possession of a firearm during his marijuana deals. He never used the firearm, but possession was enough to invoke a mandatory minimum. The judge that sentenced him didn’t believe in the sentence, a sentence longer than the length of a terrorist. Cassell imposed this sentence on a non-violent, first-time offender. Judge Cassell’s verdict was because of harsh mandatory minimums that were imposed in the 1980’s. These laws were created by Congress in the 1980’s to combat the War on Drugs. By imposing…

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Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Essay

society. Mandatory Minimum Sentencing in the American Justice System has long been argued by both Lawmakers and the public. We will go over some of the history of mandatory minimum sentences as well as the many pros and cons to these types of sentences. Some examples of pros and cons are the overall effect on public safety, the effect on the offenders, the cost to taxpayers, the lack of discretion for Judge’s, and whether the law should be repealed. The history of Mandatory Minimum sentencing laws…

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Essay On Mass Incarceration

problem of Mass Incarceration. Drug offenses along with mandatory minimum sentencing contribute greatly to the overcrowding of prisons. Racial inequality is also debated as being a factor that contributed to mass incarceration. The lives of prisoners are very negatively affected by the problems of Mass Incarceration and prison overcrowding, Mass incarceration is an awful trait of America and has the ability to ruin thousands of lives, therefore reform is needed to fix the problem mass incarceration causes…

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History of Corrections Essay

sentences, and mandatory sentences. Indeterminate sentences go in line with the idea of rehabilitation. These sentences usually have a minimum and a maximum term. It is a range and the courts use this range to determine parole and it is somewhat based on the amount of time given for a treatment program. The purpose behind this form of sentencing is incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation. Determinate sentencing is quite the opposite from indeterminate, hence the name. This sentencing structure…

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Nixon's Tough-On-Crime Policy

hesitation or consideration for additional factors. During the Nixon administration, several policies were enacted to create deterrents, such as the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, which included provisions for mandatory prison sentencing and the establishment of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) (The Editors of Encyclopaedia, 2024). These measures increased the severity of punishments for offenders, while giving law…

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