For more than two decades, the minimum sentences for crack and powder cocaine have been a clear representation of inequalities inherent in the American criminal justice system.

Possession of five grams of crack carries a minimum of five years in prison, while it would take 100 times that amount to get that same sentence for powder cocaine. Crack tends to be favored by people of lower socioeconomic standing, and while most users are white, the overwhelming majority of those arrested for crack are black.

The House of Representatives is set to vote soon on the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, which would increase to 28 grams the amount of crack necessary to trigger the five-year sentence, reducing the disparity from 100:1 to 18:1.

This is a compromise and it doesn't erase the disparity entirely, nor is it retroactive. But it is a much-needed step toward fairness in a broken criminal justice system. Use the form below to urge your representantive in the House to support the bill.