Families Against Mandatory Minimums Foundation

Federal advocacy goals for the next five years:
1.) Promote reforms to the federal sentencing guidelines.
2.) Promote judicial discretion and individualized sentencing through the federal courts.
3.) Expand federal compassionate release.
4.) Oppose new mandatory minimum proposals and other harmful legislation.
5.) Build support for federal sentencing and prison reform.

State advocacy goals for the next five years:
1.) Secure meaningful sentencing reform in more states.
2.) Expand state compassionate release.
3.) Oppose new mandatory minimum proposals and other harmful legislation.

Communications and public education goals for the next five years:
1.) Expand our digital storytelling and public education efforts.
2.) Promote knowledge and support of FAMM's federal and state reform campaigns.
3.) Enhance our online media presence.

Organizing goals for the next five years:
1.) Build a group of action-oriented advocates equipped and empowered to engage with lawmakers and the public in support of smart sentencing and prison reform.

Federal advocacy strategies:
1.) File amicus briefs to the Supreme Court for cases in which decisions could significantly change or eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing practices.
2.) Work with lobbyists at the federal level to educate lawmakers about the harmful effects of mandatory minimum policies.
3.) Work with organizations and individuals to increase public education and create reform around our broken compassionate release system.
4.) Assist lawmakers in crafting legislation that eliminates mandatory minimum sentencing.
5.) Assist lawmakers in crafting legislation for cost effective, evidence based rehabilitation programs and reentry services.

State Advocacy Strategies:
1.) Work with lobbyists at the state level to educate lawmakers about the harmful effects of mandatory minimum policies.
2.) Mobilize affected families to push the reform movement forward at the state level.
3.) Work with organizations and individuals to increase public education and create reform around our broken compassionate release system.
4.) Assist lawmakers in crafting legislation that eliminates mandatory minimum sentencing.

Communication Strategies:
1.) Create and widely distribute videos and written profiles of prisoners and families that have been impacted by excessive prison sentences.
2.) Educate the public and increase support for sentencing reform by putting a face to the issue.

Organizing Strategies:
1.) Mobilize, inform, communicate, and collaborate with prisoners and their families to achieve change.
2.) Conduct storytelling and advocacy training.
3.) Provide online resources and support through FAMM's Justice Now Action Center.

FAMM's federal and state programs have a proven track record of building support for reform. Our advocacy addresses reform of prison policies, mandatory minimum sentencing laws, amendments to the federal sentencing guidelines, sentencing cases in the U.S. Supreme Court, federal courts of appeals, and state courts.

FAMM has won several significant reforms that have reduced prison sentences for thousands, including the biggest guideline change to date when the U.S. Sentencing Commission lowered all drug sentences by two levels in 2014. We have spearheaded several successful state campaigns, and currently operate full-time campaigns in Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, Missouri, and Texas while providing technical and public support in a number of other states.

FAMM's public education and communications efforts have been integral to this success. Our greatest asset is the personal stories of our members, which have been pivotal in winning the hearts and minds of lawmakers and the public. We anticipate even greater change now that we have begun organizing affected families and individuals through our national FAMM advocates program.

Over the past two and a half decades, FAMM has led campaigns for some of the biggest federal sentencing reforms, beginning with the federal safety valve enacted in 1994, which continues to help thousands of low-level drug offenders avoid excessive mandatory minimum sentences every year.

FAMM was one of the five founding members of Clemency Project 2014 (CP2014), the massive pro bono effort organized to assist the Obama administration's clemency initiative. FAMM helped train attorneys to draft clemency petitions and served on panels that screened petitions. CP2014 submitted more than 2,500 petitions. President Obama granted 1,715 applications for clemency.

In 2016, FAMM released a dynamic new report, “Using Time to Reduce Crime: Federal Prisoner Survey Results Show Ways to Reduce Recidivism." The report includes the findings of the first-ever independent survey of federal prisoners, which focused on the type and quality of educational and vocational training programs, as well as substance abuse and mental health treatment, currently available in America's federal prisons.

In 2017, FAMM launched new policy initiatives around prison and parole reform, compassionate release, and state clemency. Moving forward, we will work to engage and mobilize more families and individuals who might be affected by injustices not directly tied to mandatory sentencing and, in doing so, promote broader criminal justice reform.