A Criminal Justice Reform Bill has cleared it's largest hurdle: The Senate. It now moves on to the House where experts predict it will pass, and President Trump has already indicated support for it. It is likely to be enacted into law.
What does the law actually do?
The bill would overhaul the US justice system by giving more discretion to judges during sentencing, and by strengthening prisoner rehabilitation efforts.
Among the sentencing guidelines being revises is one reducing the "three strikes" penalty for drug felons from life in prison to 25 years.
It also retroactively changes guidelines that differentiate between powder and crack cocaine - a change which could affect up to 2,600 prisoners according to the Marshall Project.
It allows for more criminals to serve their sentences in halfway houses or under home confinement, and requires offenders to be jailed within 500 miles (800km) from their families.
It bans shackling pregnant prisoners and mandates that tampons and sanitary napkins be available to women.
It reduces the mandatory minimum sentences for serious drug crimes, and authorises $375m (£297m) in federal spending for job training and educational programmes for prisoners.
New Jersey Democratic Cory Booker hailed the legislation as "one small step [which] will affect thousands and thousands of lives".
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