These whose sentences have been commuted have been serving “disproportionately lengthy sentences” in comparison with what they might obtain at present, Biden stated in an announcement.
He known as the transfer “an essential step towards righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and offering deserving people the chance to return to their households”.
“With this motion, I’ve now issued extra particular person pardons and commutations than any president in US historical past,” Biden stated, including that he might subject additional commutations or pardons earlier than he fingers over energy to President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.
The outgoing president stated these receiving clemency had obtained prolonged sentences based mostly on now-discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, which have disproportionately impacted the Black neighborhood.
