← Legal Glossary
First Step Act of 2018
Definition
A bipartisan federal criminal justice reform law that, among other things, amended Section 3582 to allow prisoners themselves to file motions for compassionate release directly with the court, rather than relying solely on the Bureau of Prisons to initiate such motions. Congress enacted it because the BOP was filing too few compassionate release motions.
Examples
- •The petitioner argued that Congress amended the law specifically to expand access to compassionate release beyond what the BOP was willing to initiate on its own.