Joe Biden has reduced the sentences of some 1,500 criminals who have been confined to their homes since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The US president also pardoned 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes, including drug offences, in what the White House called the biggest single act of clemency in modern history.
Mr Biden, who leaves office next month, said he would commute the sentences of criminals who had been confined to their homes after being moved from prison to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
He appeared to be heading off a move by Republicans before they take control of Congress next month, who have previously pushed for legislation that would force those individuals back to prison.
‘They deserve a second chance’
More than 12,000 people were placed in home confinement under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act between March 2020 and April 2023, according to the justice department.
It began as an emergency move to limit the transmission of the virus but was later extended last year as long as criminals did not breach the terms of their custody.
Mr Biden said in a statement: “These commutation recipients, who were placed on home confinement during the Covid pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance.”
He added that they were “serving long prison sentences” and that many “would receive lower sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies, and practices”.
As of April 2023, the justice department said “only a fraction of one per cent” of those confined to their homes had been returned to prison “due to new criminal conduct”.
Mr Biden also said he would pardon 39 people “who have shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer”.
The full list of those who have been pardoned or had their sentence commuted has not been released, although the president said he was focused on “removing sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offences”.
The White House said their number included a woman who led emergency response teams in natural disasters, a deacon who worked as an addiction counsellor, and a military veteran.
Hunter pardon
It follows widespread criticism of Mr Biden for pardoning his son, Hunter, who earlier this year was found guilty of lying about his cocaine addiction while buying a gun and pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion.
It was reportedly the broadest clemency agreement since the days of Richard Nixon, pardoning the 54-year-old of any crimes he may have committed in the past decade.
In comments reported on Wednesday, Anita Dunn, until August one of Mr Biden’s most senior advisers, attacked the move as “an attack on our judicial system”. Just two in two Americans approve of the move, according to a poll published this week.
Mr Biden’s staff has been reportedly debating whether to issue blanket pardons to figures whom Donald Trump, the president-elect, had threatened with “retribution” following his four criminal indictments.
Mr Biden has reportedly been taking the idea seriously. He said on Thursday morning that he would take “more steps in the weeks ahead”.
Activists have pushed for him to pardon those on federal death row before Mr Trump takes office in January, after the Republican presided over an unprecedented number of federal executions.