NEW YORK, NY October 07, 2009 —Hundreds of New York's lower-level drug offenders can petition judges for lighter sentences, now that changes to the state's Rockefeller drug laws are in effect. WNYC's Brian Zumhagen has more.

REPORTER: The new law gives judges discretion to sentence non-violent offenders to court-supervised drug treatment instead of prison terms. Some people incarcerated under the old laws may be eligible for re-sentencing or release. Governor Paterson says judges will now be able to use the abilities that got them on the bench in the first place.

PATERSON: No longer will they be bound by unwise regulations and sentencing rules.

REPORTER: The governor says the mandatory minimums from the Rockefeller drug laws helped bring about a six fold increase in the state prison population over two decades, and that most of the inmates came from New York City. Paterson made his comments during a visit to the state's first drug court, which opened in Brooklyn 13 years ago. Under the new law, such courts will be expanded around the state.

For WNYC, I'm Brian Zumhagen