US Justice Department to widen clemency criteria for drug offenders

News

US Justice Department to widen clemency criteria for drug offenders

22 April 2014

The US Justice Department will widen the criteria it uses to decide which drug offenders to recommend to the president for clemency, attorney general Eric Holder said on Monday.

The department expects thousands of drug offenders currently serving time to be eligible for reduced sentences under the new clemency guidelines and it will prepare to review an influx of applications, Holder said in a video address.

Under US law, the president can reduce sentences or pardon Americans serving sentences for federal crimes. The Justice Department will now recommend more candidates for the president's consideration.

Details of the new criteria will be announced later this week by deputy attorney general James Cole.

Click here to read the full article.

Keep up-to-date with drug policy developments by subscribing to the IDPC Monthly Alert.