Judiciary budget cuts may lead to lighter sentences

"Pursuing legislation that would give federal judges greater flexibility to sentence below mandatory minimums was another longer-term strategy announced by the judicial conference. The judiciary pays for offender supervision at an estimated cost of about $279 per month per offender. Officials said that offenders sentenced under mandatory minimums spend more time under supervision. Congress is considering a bill, the Justice Safety Valve Act, that would allow greater judicial discretion at sentencing. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. supports the legislation."