Crack cocaine. The catalyst for the passage of federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws in the 1980s. The death of basketball star Len Bias from a cocaine overdose set Congress into motion, and it quickly enacted laws that removed individualization from the sentencing process. Crack was treated 100 times more harshly than powder cocaine for sentencing purposes, resulting in unjust sentences, severe racial disparity, and excessive costs to taxpayers. In 2007 and 2011, FAMM helped achieve historic changes to federal crack cocaine laws. More work must be done, but these changes have helped thousands of people receive sentence reductions.
Federal Crack Laws and Background:
FAMM Victories: Changes to Federal Crack Laws:
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