Policy Record
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986
Federal anti-drug law that established harsh mandatory minimum sentences, including the 100-to-1 crack versus powder cocaine sentencing disparity.
Plain-language summary
What happened and why it matters
This page is the proof layer of the public site. It should let a reader move from score into explanation, evidence, and related records without guessing.
What happened
Federal anti-drug law that established harsh mandatory minimum sentences, including the 100-to-1 crack versus powder cocaine sentencing disparity.
Why it matters
EquityStack classifies this policy as negative impact with strong supporting evidence. The record matters because it helps explain how government action shaped Black Americans' rights, resources, exposure to harm, or access to institutions.
What this means
Impact on Black Americans
Contributed to major racial disparities in federal sentencing and incarceration, especially affecting Black communities.
1986
Federal anti-drug law that established harsh mandatory minimum sentences, including the 100-to-1 crack versus powder cocaine sentencing disparity.
Outcome
Contributed to major racial disparities in federal sentencing and incarceration, especially affecting Black communities.
1991-01-01T08:00:00.000Z
Latest source linked to this policy record.
Era context
Previous era-adjacent record: Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.
Trust and evidence
Policy pages keep score, evidence, and completeness side by side so users can evaluate what is known, what is sourced, and what still needs work.
Sources
6
Source Quality
Strong
Completeness
Complete
Evidence
Source trail
Evidence should be visible immediately, not hidden behind a second click. Open the source list first if you want to verify the record before reading related content.
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986
Legislative record
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986
Public law text
Crack Sentencing Disparity and Federal Policy
Federal sentencing policy context
Crime Prevention and the African-American Community
USCCR report discussing the crack versus powder cocaine sentencing disparity created by the 1986 law and its disproportionate impact on Black communities.
The Crisis of the Young African American Male in the Inner Cities
USCCR report describing how drug policies and sentencing practices deepened racial disparities in incarceration and community outcomes.
Attorney General Memorandum for All Federal Prosecutors Concerning the Application of the Statutory Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws for Crack Cocaine Offenses Amended by the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010
DOJ memorandum summarizing the old crack cocaine mandatory minimum thresholds that originated under the 1986 law and were later reduced by the Fair Sentencing Act.
Related records
Promises, explainers, and report paths
Related records make it easier to move from a single policy into the broader public narrative or administrative context.
Criminal Justice
Crime Statistics in Context: How the 13/50 Claim Is Used and Misused
The 13/50 claim is a common debate talking point that combines a population figure with a crime statistic in a way that often strips out context. Understanding what the numbers measure, what they do not measure, and how crime data are produced is essential for evaluating the claim accurately.
Criminal Justice
Mass Incarceration in the United States: Policy vs. Outcome
Mass incarceration refers to the significant increase in the U.S. prison population over the past several decades. While often attributed solely to crime rates, policy decisions, sentencing laws, and enforcement practices played a major role in driving this growth.
Criminal Justice
Sentencing Disparities in the United States: Law, Enforcement, and Unequal Outcomes
Sentencing disparities in the United States refer to differences in punishment that can emerge across race, class, geography, and offense type. Although the law is often described as neutral, sentencing outcomes have frequently reflected unequal enforcement, policy design, and institutional discretion.
Related report
Black Impact Score
Move from the policy proof page into the flagship report when you want presidential or historical comparison context.