President Joe Biden is commemorating Second Chance Month by announcing the first pardons and commutations of his administration.
Abraham Bolden, an 86-year-old former Secret Service agent who maintains he was wrongly convicted of trying to sell a copy of a Secret Service file, Betty Jo Bogans, a 51-year-old first-time offender who served seven years in prison for transporting crack cocaine for her boyfriend and his accomplice, and Dexter Jackson, a 52-year-old man who allowed marijuana dealers to meet buyers in his pool hall, were the three former inmates pardoned of their crimes, according to the White House.
Recommended Stories
Biden commended the trio for their commitment to rehabilitation and community service.
Biden also commuted the sentences of 75 nonviolent drug offenders, many of whom have been confined at home during the coronavirus pandemic or would have received lighter sentences if charged pursuant to the bipartisan First Step Act.
BIDEN STUMBLES WITH SUBURBAN WOMEN AND MOTHERS BEFORE MIDTERM ELECTIONS
“While today’s announcement marks important progress, my administration will continue to review clemency petitions and deliver reforms that advance equity and justice, provide second chances, and enhance the wellbeing and safety of all Americans,” Biden said in a statement.
Reforms rolled out Tuesday include $145 million for a Justice Department and Labor Department job training program and $140 million for workforce development grants. The administration will also remove barriers to federal government employment and opportunities to obtain small-business capital. In addition, it will aim to improve reentry services for the roughly 600,000 people released from prison each year, particularly veterans, such as for job seeking and further education.
“As I laid out in my comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crime, helping those who served their time return to their families and become contributing members of their communities is one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism and decrease crime,” Biden said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Biden’s popularity has been impaired, in part, by his response to criminal justice problems. A Pew Research Center poll published in January found Biden’s approval regarding law enforcement and criminal justice dropped from 53% in March 2021 to 41% by the first anniversary of his inauguration.
