Are Mandatory Minimum Drug Sentences Cost-Effective?

Mandatory minimum sentencing laws have been among the more popular crime-fighting measures of n recent years. Such laws require that a judge impose a sentence of at least a specified length if certain criteria are met. For example, a person convicted by a federal court of possessing half a kilogram or more of cocaine powder a must be sentenced to at least five years in prison. Mandatory minimums have enjoyed strong bipartisan support. To proponents, their certainty and severity help ensure that incarcerations goals will be achieved. Those A goals include punishing the convicted and keeping them from committing more crimes for a period of time, as well as deterring others not in prison from committing similar crimes. Critics, however, believe that mandatory minimums foreclose discretionary judgment where it may most be needed, and they fear these laws result in instances of unjust punishment.