Final answer:
Federal policy evolved from the War on Drugs and a tough-on-crime stance that led to mass incarceration, to a reevaluation of these policies with President Trump's 2018 Prison Reform Act that sought to reduce recidivism and correct sentencing disparities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The evolution of federal policy from the "War on Drugs" to the "War on Crime" and eventually to President Trump's Prison Reform Act of 2018 reflects shifts in the United States' criminal justice priorities and approaches over the years. Initially, the War on Drugs initiated in the 1980s under President Reagan, marked a significant increase in incarceration for drug-related offenses, fueled by a law-and-order movement that emphasized harsh penalties and prison sentences. With the law-and-order movement peaking in the 1990s, policies like California's "three strikes" law mandated life sentences for multiple felony convictions, further inflating prison populations.
During the Clinton administration, efforts continued to emphasize a tough-on-crime stance with policies such as the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which bolstered police forces and expanded prisons. However, by the end of the century, the financial and social costs of mass incarceration began to spur reconsideration of these approaches. This reevaluation eventually contributed to bipartisan support for the 2018 Prison Reform Act, also known as the First Step Act, under President Trump, which aimed to reduce recidivism and reform sentencing laws to alleviate some of the disparities caused by previous policies.