DOJ To Overhaul Clemency Process For Drug Offenders

[okaawhatever]

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department will announce this week new criteria for recommending that President Barack Obama grant clemency to federal drug offenders, a move that Attorney General Eric Holder anticipates will result in "thousands" of applications for reduced sentences.

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“Later this week, the deputy attorney general will announce new criteria that the department will consider when recommending applications for the president’s review. This new and improved approach will make the criteria for clemency recommendation more expansive. This will allow the Department of Justice and the president to consider requests from a larger field of eligible individuals," Holder said.

“Once these reforms go into effect, we expect to receive thousands of additional applications for clemency," Holder continued. "And we at the Department of Justice will meet this need by assigning potentially dozens of lawyers –- with backgrounds in both prosecution and defense –- to review applications and provide the rigorous scrutiny that all clemency applications require."

In an interview with The Huffington Post earlier this month, Holder said changes to the Office of the Pardon Attorney were a "vital part" of his Smart on Crime initiative.

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"But the president has indicated as he did with regards to those eight clemency grants he made, I guess, a few months ago, is to find people who are not traditionally thought of as good candidates and come up with ways in which we deal with them," Holder continued. "The Deputy Attorney General went to New York indicated that we needed the help of the private bar to help identity these people who might be serving life or near life sentences that really are inappropriate given the nature of their conduct, and that's I think one of the focuses that we need to do, so that means I think we're going to have to change the focus of our pardon attorney's office."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/21/obama-clemency-drug-offenders_n_5186069.html?ir=Politics

[Cha]

1. Awesome! thanks okaa

[Dragonfli]

2. K&R

[blue14u]

3. KnR...

Give our children back, and give them another chance.

They deserve to try , coming from another place.. If they fail,... ok, lock them up.

First offenders should get help to work with the troubles that got them there..

One chance..

I fortunately don't have this to worry with, but I feel

for those who do.. Give them another chance..



#VOTE2014

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Yeah, or maybe reserve prisons for people who commit violent acts

and not people who get busted smoking a bong at a Phish show.

[okaawhatever]

7. C'mon even the US doesn't have the prison capacity for all the smokers at a Phish show. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

8. No, obviously they can't lock up everyone who has ever smoked pot.

Especially when that includes most of the country, including the government.

All the more reason it is ludicrous to continue prohibition.

[okaawhatever]

9. I'm joking, namely that the percentage of smokers at a Phish show is probably somewhere in the

90% range. Even with our massive number of prison beds, we couldn't handle Phish smokers.

[blue14u]

10. I couldn't agree more..... Violent

crime is completely different..

Lock them up...




#VOTE2014

[Warren DeMontague]

4. Good.

Obama once again seems to be doing the right thing. Awesome.

[eridani]

6. Excellent. Nex move--marijuana decriminalization? n/t