Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

In 2007, the Sentencing Commission revised the Guidelines by lowering the base offense level for crack cocaine offenses by two levels, thereby eliminating the 100:1 ratio for future sentencing guideline purposes (except at the point at which the statutory mandatory minimums are triggered).

In addition, the Sentencing Commission decided to make these amendments retroactively applicable, thus allowing eligible crack cocaine offenders who were sentenced prior to November 1, 2007, to petition a federal judge to reduce their sentences.

On August 3, 2010, President Obama signed the “The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 (S. 1789) S. 1789" bill into law. This bill reduces the statutory 100:1 ratio to 18:1, by increasing the threshold amount of crack cocaine to 28 grams (for the 5-year sentence) and 280 grams (for the 10-year sentence). S. 1789 also eliminates the 5-year mandatory minimum for simple possession of crack cocaine.

This will help eliminate some of the unjust sentences in the future; however it does nothing for the men and women who have been sentenced unfairly in the past.

We thank you for making these changes; however, we feel that this law should be made retroactive. These men and women should also benefit from The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 (S. 1789). Please vote to make this law retroactive.