President Joe Biden of the United States shortened the sentences of nearly 2,500 people found guilty of non-violent drug offences in the final days of his presidency.
Many of these people, Biden said, had received “excessively long sentences compared to what they would face under current laws and practices.” Taking this action, he said, will help rectify “historic injustices.”
The number of pardons and sentence commutations granted by Biden’s administration surpasses that of any previous US president, he said on Friday.
His decision to commute the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, as well as to grant a number of pardons and commutations including one for his son, Hunter Biden followed his December announcement.
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Biden said that the majority of those granted clemency on Friday had been sentenced under antiquated guidelines that failed to account for the differences between crack and powder cocaine, or had been given harsher terms for drug-related offences.
Biden was instrumental in the 1986 legislation that established sentence differences between crack and powder cocaine offences while he was a US senator. On the other hand, he was a supporter of the 2022 repeal of these standards.
According to Biden, lawmakers in Congress have now recognised the need to fix these inequalities and passed laws to do just that.
A larger shift in perspective towards the “war on drugs,” which started in the 1970s and imposed harsh punishments for drug offences, disproportionately impacting racial minorities, is reflected in the president’s changing position.
In his Friday statement, Biden emphasised that this measure is an important step towards making amends for previous injustices, ending sentencing disparities, and allowing worthy individuals to return to their communities and families after serving long prison terms.
He reiterated his dedication to examine more cases for pardons and commutations and took satisfaction in his clemency record.
