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Biden Commutes 1,500 Sentences for Non-Violent Offenders, Pardons 39 in Historic Act

Dec 12, 2024, 10:24 AM

President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that he is commuting the sentences of approximately 1,500 individuals and granting pardons to 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes. This action, taken just weeks before the end of his presidency, marks the largest single-day act of clemency in modern U.S. history. Lawmakers and criminal justice advocates have been pressing for this clemency. The individuals receiving commutations have served at least one year on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and were serving long prison sentences. In his statement, Biden said, “Today, I am pardoning 39 people who have shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer.” This move reflects the administration's commitment to criminal justice reform and providing second chances to those who have demonstrated rehabilitation.