b) Criminal justice reform

The main focus of the 2018 First Step Act signed into U.S. law was criminal justice reform. This bipartisan legislation aimed to reduce recidivism and reform sentencing laws, particularly to address disparities in drug-related offenses. The act represented a significant step in addressing issues within the U.S. criminal justice system, including prison overcrowding and the treatment of non-violent offenders. It marked a pivotal change in the approach to incarceration and rehabilitation in the United States.

A key aspect of the First Step Act was its effort to ease mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, a move seen as a corrective to previous policies that contributed to the high incarceration rates. It expanded judicial discretion, allowing judges more flexibility in sentencing certain drug offenders rather than being bound to strict mandatory minimums.

The act also aimed to improve conditions for current prisoners and better prepare them for reentry into society. This included increasing access to rehabilitation programs, which inmates could participate in to earn reduced sentences. Additionally, the act made retroactive the reductions in sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine offenses established by the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010.

By addressing these aspects, the First Step Act took a comprehensive approach to reforming various facets of the criminal justice system, reflecting a growing consensus on the need for change in how the United States approaches criminal justice.