The FIRST STEP Act, the first major policy to reform federal drug sentencing in history, was passed with bipartisan support and signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2018 (Grawert & Lau). However, while the legislation was touted as a win for bipartisan cooperation in an increasingly divided political climate, many have criticized the policy as being only a surface-level fix (Clark & Ross). As support for criminal justice reform soars nationally (Savage), it is imperative we analyze the true nature of criminal justice in the United States, starting with the focus of the FIRST STEP Act: mandatory minimum sentencing.