Sara's Law and the Preventing Unfair Sentencing Act of 2026 would allow federal judges to sentence minors below mandatory minimum sentences when those minors are themselves victims of trafficking, abuse, or sexual assault. The bill recognizes that trauma from such victimization can affect a young offender's behavior and gives judges flexibility to account for this context when determining sentences. The law would apply to individuals under 18 who have been convicted of a violent offense against someone who victimized them through human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or related crimes within the year prior to the offense. The bill also directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to review and update its sentencing guidelines to align with this new judicial discretion. This legislation applies only to convictions that occur after the law is enacted, with no specific funding appropriated in the text provided.
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