The GOP is sprinting away from criminal justice reform
When President Donald Trump signed the First Step Act in 2018, it was heralded by leaders of both political parties and the mainstream media as a massive bipartisan victory. The legislation developed a risk and needs assessment program to reduce recidivism rates for federal prisoners, amended the good time credits system, shortened mandatory minimums for drug offenders and redressed pre-2010 sentencing disparities for crack versus powdered cocaine offenses. In the five years since it hit the president's desk, though, the First Step Act has become a source of controversy within the Republican Party.
