FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 12, 2024

Media Contact: Michael Czaczkes, media@vera.org

New York, NY – Today, President Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who were released from prison and placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Additionally, he issued pardons for 39 people convicted of nonviolent offenses.

Insha Rahman, vice president of advocacy and partnerships at the Vera Institute of Justice and director of Vera Action, issued the following statement:

“I applaud the Biden administration for commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people remaining on home confinement under the CARES Act and pardoning 39 others convicted of nonviolent offenses. This action advances both safety and justice for our communities. A study last year found that 99.8 percent of the nearly 13,000 people transferred to home confinement under the CARES Act have not been rearrested for new offenses. They have demonstrated that, when given the chance to succeed, they can rebuild their lives—find work, reconnect with their families, and contribute to their communities.

"These actions taken by the Biden administration bring other immediate benefits, including saving at least $80,000 per day in taxpayer dollars and creating nearly 20 percent more capacity in halfway houses. This opens doors for others awaiting release from federal prisons, enabling them to continue their rehabilitation at home.

“But there is more the president can and must do before leaving office. We urge President Biden to commute the sentences of the 40 people on federal death row and grant clemency to some of the nearly 9,400 people whose applications await his decision. Many of these people have served decades in prison on sentences that would not be handed down today and deserve a second chance. These actions would also set a powerful example for governors nationwide to follow suit in exercising their pardon powers.

“Today marks a significant victory for those who believe that the United States can have both safety and justice—and that we should never have to sacrifice one for the other.”

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About Vera Institute of Justice:

The Vera Institute of Justice is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.

About Vera Action:

Vera Action is an independent 501(c)(4) organization and the advocacy partner of the Vera Institute of Justice. At Vera Action, we harness the power of advocacy, lobbying, and political strategy to end mass incarceration, protect immigrants’ rights, restore dignity to people behind bars, and build safe and thriving communities.