Following the lead of federal reforms, North Carolina is currently considering new legislation that would impose common-sense sentencing reforms for low-level, non-violent drug offenders. 

Under the First Step Act, judges would be allowed to use their discretion when determining the sentencing for certain drug offenses, and in some cases override the mandatory minimum sentence. 

North Carolina currently has strictly enforced mandatory minimums for drug trafficking, which are not only an injustice to defendants, but also fill North Carolina prisons with nonviolent drug offenders at taxpayers’ expense.

Let’s take a look at the [...]