President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on April 26, 2023, in Washington, DC
Andrew Harnik/AP
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Andrew Harnik/AP
President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on April 26, 2023, in Washington, DC
Andrew Harnik/AP
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 31 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses who were serving time in home confinement, the White House announced Friday.
Many would get a lesser sentence if they were charged with the same crime today due to changes in the laws. A commuted sentence means they will spend less time under house arrest.
The commutations came as the White House announced a set of policy actions across 20 different agencies designed to improve the criminal justice system, which disproportionately affects Black and other non-white communities. The president announced his re-election campaign this week, and he wants to keep Black voters in his coalition if he wants to win in 2024.
The plan is an effort to expand access to health care, affordable housing and education, and make it easier for those who have mixed in the system to get jobs, higher education and vote. The effort includes a plan to make more grants available to people who need education funding, and small business loans.
Those whose sentences were commuted they included men and women convicted of drug possession in Iowa, Indiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Hawaii and Texas, and all will finish serving time on June 30. , and will not have to pay the rest of their fines which range from $5,000 to $20,000.
About 600,000 US residents leave prison each year, and another 9 million enter and leave prison. As many as one in three Americans have a criminal record. That stigma can make it difficult to find a job, go back to school or start a business.
“Far too many of them face huge barriers to getting a job or a home, getting health care, or finding the capital to start a business,” said domestic policy adviser Susan Rice, the first person to have both the security national as well as domestic politics. advisory positions in the White House. She is leaving her post after two years and her last day is May 26.
“By investing in crime prevention and a fairer criminal justice system, we can tackle the root causes of crime, improve individual and community outcomes, and ease the burden on the police,” she said. .
The Democratic President has commuted the sentences of 75 other people so far. He also pardoned thousands who were convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana under federal law, and others who have been serving their sentences.
