president barack obama commuted the sentences of 214 federal inmates on wednesday, the largest single-day grant of commutations in american history. obama has used his clemency power to shorten the sentences of more federal inmates than any president since calvin coolidge.
most of the 214 individuals were convicted of low-level drug offenses. but the longest was given to richard l. reser of sedgwick, kansas. reser has a 40-year sentence for dealing methamphetamine and firearm possession. he'll be released december 1.
the commander-in-chief has publicly denounced the mandatory minimum sentences of previous administrations, and this latest initiative further demonstrates his efforts to humanize our criminal justice system.
"the more we understand the human stories behind this problem, the sooner we can start making real changes that keep our streets safe, break the cycle of incarceration in this country, and save taxpayers like you money," obama said in a facebook post.
the clemency process is, historically, a laborious undertaking. each applicant is reviewed by at least three levels of lawyers at the justice department - and the white house - before their case goes to the president.
white counsel neil eggleston said, "the individual nature of the clemency process underscores both its incredible power to change a person's life, but also its inherent shortcoming as a tool for broader sentencing reform. while we continue to work on as many clemency applications as possible, only legislation can bring about lasting change to the federal system."
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