‘Last Week Tonight’ Explains Why Mandatory Prison Sentencing Does Way More Harm Than Good

Here’s a clip from last night’s Last Week Tonight, where John Oliver breaks down why mandatory minimum prison sentencing laws are an awful idea that have done more harm than good since they were introduced in the ‘80s and ‘90s. President Obama might have commuted the sentences of 46 non-violent drug offenders earlier this month, but that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to the thousands of people stuck in jail with ridiculously long sentences for non-violent, drug-related crimes. “Prison sentences are a lot like penises,� Oliver says. “If they’re used correctly, even a short one can do the trick.�