Reagan signs the Sentencing Reform Act, eliminating federal parole and making compassionate release the primary early-release mechanism

President Reagan signed the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, which included the Sentencing Reform Act. The legislation abolished the federal parole system entirely for offenses committed after November 1, 1987, created the U.S. Sentencing Commission to write binding guidelines, and made compassionate release under § 3582 the only remaining avenue for early release. Congress also directed the Sentencing Commission to define "extraordinary and compelling reasons" by policy statement.