Federal Penalty Structure
Justice Department Analysis
Public debate over sentences for Federal cocaine offenses has focused on the 100:1 differential in the amounts of powder and crack cocaine that trigger the five- and 10-year mandatory minimum sentences. The 100:1 differential in powder and crack cocaine amounts at sentencing is commonly distorted to imply that sentences for crack cocaine are vastly greater than sentences for powder cocaine. A closer examination of the Federal penalty structure for cocaine offenses reveals that the 100:1 differential is misleading. A facial comparison of the guideline ranges for equal amounts of crack and powder cocaine reveals that crack penalties range from 6.3…
