Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) is an American nonprofitadvocacy organization founded in 1991 to challengemandatory sentencing laws and advocate forcriminal justice reform.[1] FAMM promotes sentencing policies that give judges the discretion to distinguish betweendefendants and sentence them according to their role in the offense, the seriousness of the offense, and their potential for rehabilitation. FAMM's members includeprisoners and their families,attorneys,judges,criminal justice experts, and concerned citizens. In 2018,The Washington Post described FAMM as "one of the leading organizations that have pushed for criminal justice changes."[2]
The organization's founder, Julie Stewart, started FAMM shortly after her brother was convicted of growing marijuana plants near his home and given a mandatory five year federal prison sentence.[3]
FAMM organized lobbying efforts in support of theFirst Step Act, a law which reforms the U.S. federal prison system and seeks to reduce recidivism and decrease the federalinmate population.[4][5] The organizers succeeded in their efforts and the Act was passed by the115th Congress and signed into law in December 2018. It changed U.S. federal criminal sentencing laws, among other reforms.[5]