President Biden made history with the largest single-day act of clemency, commuting the sentences of over 2,000 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. This action aims to rectify historical sentencing disparities and provide deserving individuals with a second chance.
President Joe Biden announced on Friday that he is commuting the sentences of more than 2,000 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses . This marks the largest single-day act of clemency in U.S. history, solidifying Biden's legacy as the president who has issued the most individual pardons and commutations.
\Biden stated that his clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes. He emphasized that this action is a crucial step towards rectifying historical injustices, addressing sentencing disparities, and giving deserving individuals the opportunity to rejoin their families and communities after spending an excessive amount of time in prison. \'Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,' he said. 'This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars,' he added. Biden also highlighted that with this action, he has now granted more individual pardons and commutations than any other president in U.S. history. Biden has consistently advocated for commuting the sentences of individuals affected by sentencing disparities, arguing that harsher penalties for crack cocaine disproportionately harmed communities of color. The Fair Sentencing Act, enacted in 2010, reduced the statutory penalties for crack cocaine and eliminated the mandatory minimum sentence for possessing it. The First Step Act, passed in 2018, further facilitated the possibility of sentence reductions. Biden's announcement follows previous clemency actions by his predecessors. According to the Department of Justice's clemency statistics, President-elect Donald Trump issued 144 pardons and 94 commutations during his first term. President Barack Obama granted 212 pardons and 1,715 commutations over his two terms. In his statement on Friday, Biden suggested that he could take additional clemency action before leaving office on Monday
CLAMENCY JOE BIDEN DRUG OFFENSES SENTENCING DISPARITIES CRACK COCAINE
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