December 12, 2007 1:00PM 

# Changes in Federal Sentencing 

By [Tim Lynch](https://www.cato.org/people/tim-lynch) 

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The U.S. Sentencing Commission is going to give thousands of drug offenders an opportunity to [reduce their sentences](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121101655.html). Yesterday’s move is in reaction to the disparate manner in which federal law handles persons dealing in powder cocaine vis-a-vis persons dealing in crack cocaine. This is a modest step in the right direction. The drug war represents a gross misallocation of [limited resources ](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=4780)(police, courts, jails) and it should be ended immediately.

For Cato work on the drug war, go [here](https://www.cato.org/subtopic_display_new.php?topic_id=10&ra_id=9). For Cato work on federal sentencing, go [here](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1317). For more information on yesterday’s development, go to [Families Against Mandatory Minimums](http://www.famm.org/).

##### Related Tags 

[Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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