Biden grants record-breaking 2,500 drug offense pardons
The President of the USA, Joe Biden, announced the reduction of sentences for nearly 2,500 people convicted of drug offenses, setting a record for the number of pardons issued.
The President of the USA, Joe Biden, decided to shorten the sentences for nearly 2,500 people convicted of drug offenses. Biden justified his decision by stating that the convictions involve "disproportionately long sentences," as he noted in a statement.
"Today, I am shortening the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses who are serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the ones they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice," Biden announced.
Record number of pardons
Biden's decision means that he has issued more individual pardons than any other president in the history of the United States. This is yet another series of pardons issued by Biden, who previously shortened the sentences of 1,500 people convicted of nonviolent offenses and commuted the death sentences to life imprisonment for 37 out of 40 prisoners sentenced by federal courts.
Biden noted that he is considering issuing more pardons. Previously, he admitted contemplating "preventive" pardons for people and officials who might be at risk of prosecution by Donald Trump's administration. Among the potential pardon recipients are former congresswoman Liz Cheney, former special prosecutor Jack Smith, and General Mark Milley, whom Trump accused of treason.
Biden's decisions are widely discussed in the context of his policy on reducing penalties for nonviolent offenses. As analysts emphasize, the president is striving to reform the justice system in the USA, which has been criticized for years for harsh sentencing in drug-related cases.
