isadore;1609296 wrote:No allowance for mitigation.

The judges have the allowance provided by law.

There's nothing automatic.

isadore;1609231 wrote:forcing judges to give sentences without considering mitigation is and has been a continuing criticism of the legal system as applied to drug offenders.

Judges aren't forced to give sentences without considering mitigating circumstances. Lol

Mandatory minimum sentencing laws require binding prison terms of a particular length for people convicted of certain federal and state crimes. These inflexible, “one-size-fits-all” sentencing laws may seem like a quick-fix solution for crime, but they undermine justice by preventing judges from fitting the punishment to the individual and the circumstances of their offenses. Mandatory sentencing laws cause federal and state prison populations to soar, leading to overcrowding, exorbitant costs to taxpayers, and diversion of funds from law enforcement\

http://famm.org/mandatory-sentencing/mandatory-minimums/

Who said anything about forcing judges to hand out mandatory sentences??? You are assuming again.

I shared my preference.

An additional note, I would be willing to pay significantly more taxes if needed to enforce our laws as it relates to enforcement and imprisonment.