Biden commutes sentences for nearly 2,500 people

President Joe Biden announced on Friday the decision to commute the sentences of nearly 2,500 people who had been convicted of non-violent drug-related offenses.

With this decision, Joe Biden becomes the President who has signed more pardons and commutations than any other President of the United States.

The President has stated that with these acts he aims to correct the inequality of sentencing, as the beneficiary individuals "would have received shorter sentences if they were charged under today's laws, policies and practices."

"This action is an important step toward righting historical wrongs, correcting disparities in sentencing, and providing the opportunity for individuals to return to their families and communities after spending too much time behind bars," Biden said in a statement.

The White House did not release the names of those who will receive reduced sentences.

President Biden announced that there may be decisions on other acts of commutation of sentences, promising to use the time before Mr. Trump's inauguration on Monday "to consider the possibility of other pardons and reductions of sentences."

This could include pardons for officials and allies whom the White House fears could be unfairly targeted by the new administration.

Last month, the outgoing President pardoned 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes and commuted the sentences of about 1,500 others. By number, these decisions were the largest ever made in a single day.

Also in December, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 people sentenced to death by federal courts, reducing their sentences to life imprisonment.

Recently, Mr. Biden also pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, convicted on federal weapons and tax evasion charges.

Presidents typically sign a series of pardons at the end of their term.

Shortly before midnight on the last night of his first term, Republican Trump signed a series of pardons and commutations for more than 140 people, including his former top ally Steve Bannon, rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black and former members of Congress. Mr. Trump's final act as president in his first term was to pardon Al Pirro, the ex-husband of Fox News anchor Jeanine Pirro, one of his staunchest defenders. Al Pirro had been convicted of conspiracy and tax evasion charges and sentenced to more than two years in prison in 2000./VOA