Biden Commutes Sentences for Thousands of Crack Cocaine Offenders
President Biden has commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 crack cocaine offenders, addressing past sentencing disparities.
Biden, Crack Cocaine, Sentencing, Hunter Biden, Justice Reform, USA
Washington: So, Joe Biden just made a big move by commuting the sentences of thousands of folks locked up for crack cocaine offenses. This decision comes after some personal family struggles with addiction, especially with his son, Hunter.
On Friday, he announced that nearly 2,500 inmates would get their sentences reduced. Many of these individuals are African American, and Biden pointed out that the sentences for crack cocaine have been way harsher than those for powder cocaine, which mostly affects white offenders.
It’s kind of wild when you think about it. Back in the 1980s, Biden himself helped create laws that led to these long sentences. Critics have been saying that this has contributed to the mass incarceration of black people in the U.S.
Just a month ago, Biden pardoned Hunter, who was facing some serious legal trouble for buying a gun while dealing with his own addiction. It’s been a lot of back and forth, and some people were pretty upset about the timing of that pardon.
Biden said this clemency action is about correcting past mistakes and giving people a chance to reunite with their families after spending way too long behind bars. He’s trying to fix the unfairness in the system, which has been a hot topic for years.
Back in 1986, Biden was a senator and pushed for a law that set a five-year minimum sentence for trafficking in just five grams of crack, while it took 500 grams of powder cocaine to get the same sentence. That’s a huge difference, right?
Over the years, the gap in sentencing has only widened, with black defendants facing much harsher penalties. Some recent laws have tried to change that, but it’s been a slow process.
In 2022, Biden’s attorney general even laid out new guidelines to help end these disparities. But the backlash from the public about Hunter’s pardon still lingers, especially since Biden had previously said he wouldn’t use his power to help him.
It’s a complicated situation, and it seems like Biden is trying to navigate through it while also addressing some serious issues in the justice system.