The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 increased the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses.

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The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 reduced the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses. Prior to the act, there was a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for a first offense involving 5 grams of crack cocaine, while the same sentence was only triggered for powder cocaine offenses involving 500 grams. The act increased the amount of crack cocaine required for the mandatory minimum to be triggered to 28 grams, and also eliminated the mandatory minimum for simple possession of crack cocaine. This helped to reduce the racial disparities in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses.

The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 Increased the Disparity in Sentencing