Overview

• President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders on his last full working day in office.
• This action brings Biden's total clemency grants to over 4,000, surpassing any other U.S. president in history, including Barack Obama’s previous record of 1,715 commutations.
• Biden emphasized addressing sentencing disparities rooted in outdated drug laws, such as crack and powder cocaine sentencing differences, as a key motivation for his clemency actions.
• Critics note Biden's role in crafting the 'tough-on-crime' policies that initially led to many of these harsh sentences, though he has since expressed regret for his past legislative support.
• Biden’s clemency efforts also included December actions, where he commuted nearly 1,500 sentences and granted 39 pardons, underscoring his focus on criminal justice reform.