First Step Act (2018)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (Pub. L. 115–391)

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to address concerns over mass incarceration, sentencing disparities, and prison conditions. It emphasized rehabilitation, reduced certain mandatory minimum sentences, and sought to give nonviolent offenders a fairer chance at reentry.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before this Act, harsh sentencing laws from the 1980s “War on Drugs” era disproportionately impacted minority communities. The First Step Act amended prior sentencing laws, expanded programs under the Bureau of Prisons, and applied reforms retroactively.