Washington, D.C. — Today, President Biden announced that he will commute the sentences of roughly 1,500 individuals placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and pardon an additional 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes. In response, Akua Amaning, director for Criminal Justice Reform at Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Through the clemency actions taken today, President Biden is showing that a commitment to compassion and second chances is necessary to achieve justice for all. Far too many people—especially in communities of color—have been subjected to the unjust punishments of America’s legal system, which has fractured families and damaged public safety and public trust. We are encouraged by the announcements today and urge the president to use his remaining weeks in office to take further clemency action to right historical wrongs in the criminal legal system—leaving an example for future leaders at both the federal and state levels to follow.
Related resource: Clemency 101: How Sentences Can Be Pardoned or Commuted
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