Fair Sentencing Act

The Fair Sentencing Act, enacted in 2010 in the United States, aimed to reduce the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses. Before the Act, individuals were sentenced to significantly harsher penalties for crack cocaine compared to powder cocaine, despite their similarities. The law eliminated the 100-to-1 sentencing ratio, which treated crack offenses much more severely, and instead established an 18-to-1 ratio. This change was intended to create a fairer judicial system, address racial disparities in sentencing, and recognize the need for more equitable treatment in drug-related cases.