Biden Issues More Pardons and Commutations Under Pressure From Criminal Justice Groups
Outgoing President Joe Biden granted 39 pardons and commuted the sentences of roughly 1,500 federal offenders serving the remainder of their sentences on home confinement today.
The orders came under intense pressure from a coalition of civil rights, criminal justice, and religious groups urging Biden to use his clemency power to grant relief to several groups of federal offenders, such as death row inmates and nonviolent drug offenders. Biden recently issued a broad pardon to his son, Hunter, leading many groups to publicly complain that he wasn’t extending mercy to others.
Specifically, Biden granted pardons to 39 current and former federal inmates who, the White House says, received excessively long sentences for nonviolent crimes and have since demonstrated successful rehabilitation. He also commuted the sentences of roughly 1,500 federal offenders who were released to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been serving the remainder of their sentences at home since then.
“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said in a White House press release. “As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses.”
Federal offenders who were released to home confinement during COVID-19 have been caught in a partisan tug-of-war for the past several years, despite their extraordinarily low recidivism rate. In the final days of Donald Trump’s administration, the Justice Department released a memo finding that once the government ended its COVID-19 emergency declaration, all former inmates with remaining sentences would have to report back to prison.
Criminal justice advocacy groups began pressing the Biden administration to reverse that decision, arguing that the program had been an unqualified success and that it would be bizarre and cruel to send back people who had thrived on the outside. The White House initially declined to do so, instead announcing a clemency initiative that would have targeted
Article from Reason.com
The Reason Magazine website is a go-to destination for libertarians seeking cogent analysis, investigative reporting, and thought-provoking commentary. Championing the principles of individual freedom, limited government, and free markets, the site offers a diverse range of articles, videos, and podcasts that challenge conventional wisdom and advocate for libertarian solutions. Whether you’re interested in politics, culture, or technology, Reason provides a unique lens that prioritizes liberty and rational discourse. It’s an essential resource for those who value critical thinking and nuanced debate in the pursuit of a freer society.
