Using a growing body of data and scholarly research, this report examines whether federal mandatory minimum sentencing statutes have been successful in achieving the purposes of punishment. The authors suggest that the mandatory minimums may compromise the basic fairness and integrity of the federal criminal justice system and that their benefits could be better achieved through application of the Sentencing Guidelines.
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The Consequences of Mandatory Minimum Prison Terms: A Summary of Recent Findings
January 1, 1994
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