Mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses should be abolished because they tie judges' hands and have failed to cut recidivism—the U.S. Sentencing Commission found no measurable deterrent effect after three decades of use. A friend of mine served 7 years for a first-time possession charge that cost taxpayers over $200k, and he came out with no job prospects and a felony record. We need discretion back in the courtroom to match punishment to the actual harm caused. What's the argument for keeping these rigid rules when they produce outcomes most would call unjust?