US President Joe Biden makes history by commuting 2,500 non-violent drug offenders

U.S. President Joe Biden, who is set to leave office next week, announced on Friday that he is commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offences. With this action, Biden has now granted more pardons and commutations than any other president in U.S. history.  

In a statement, Biden explained that those benefiting from this latest round of clemency were serving sentences that were disproportionately long compared to current laws and practices. The president highlighted cases where outdated sentencing rules, including the harsh distinction between crack and powder cocaine, led to unfairly severe punishments.  

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"These individuals are serving disproportionately long sentences based on outdated and discredited laws," Biden said. "It’s time to right these historic wrongs and give people a second chance to rebuild their lives."  

Biden also noted that the sentencing disparities, particularly between crack and powder cocaine, were a legacy of the "war on drugs" that began in the 1970s and disproportionately affected Black and minority communities. Under these old laws, someone caught with just five grams of crack cocaine could receive the same sentence as someone found with 500 grams of powder cocaine. Congress addressed this disparity in 2010, reducing the sentencing ratio to 18:1, but Biden’s action now offers further relief to those unfairly impacted.  

This move follows Biden’s earlier acts of clemency in December, when he commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal inmates on death row, converting their sentences to life without parole. Additionally, Biden pardoned 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes and commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 others.  

"These steps are a critical part of my ongoing effort to ensure justice and fairness in our criminal justice system," Biden added.  

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Biden’s actions, especially in his final weeks in office, have been widely praised by defence attorneys and civil rights groups, who have long called for a reevaluation of overly harsh sentencing laws. Many of these advocates had pushed for reforms to address wrongful convictions and excessive prison terms for non-violent offences.  

The president has also faced some criticism for his decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, who pleaded guilty to tax violations and firearms-related charges in December. Looking ahead, Biden has indicated that more clemency actions may be possible before he leaves office on January 20. Presidents typically issue pardons and commutations during the final days of their administrations.  

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• Joe Biden
• USA
• Convictions
• Record
• Criminal justice