President Joe Biden announced on Friday that he is commuting the sentences of 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, which he identified as being “disproportionately long” compared to current sentencing standards.

Biden explained that this new initiative targets those who were given harsh penalties based on “outdated” and “discredited” sentencing guidelines, particularly the distinctions between crack and powder cocaine. As a senator, Biden played a role in establishing a 1986 law that imposed equal punishment for selling 5 grams of crack and 500 grams of powder cocaine.

The 100:1 disparity resulted in street-level offenders facing much harsher penalties than larger-scale distributors, as noted by the U.S. Sentencing Commission, which found that Black offenders were disproportionately affected by this system. In 2010, Congress amended this ratio to 18:1.

“This move is a significant stride towards correcting historical injustices, adjusting sentencing inequalities, and allowing deserving individuals the chance to reunite with their families and communities after spending too long in prison,” Biden stated on Friday.

These latest commutations are part of Biden’s broader efforts of clemency during his final weeks as president. On December 1, he pardoned his son, Hunter, who faced convictions related to firearm and tax violations. On December 12, Biden granted pardons to 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes and commuted 1,499 sentences. Additionally, on December 23, he commuted the sentences of most federal death row inmates, converting them to life sentences for 37 out of 40 inmates.

“With this action, I have now granted more individual pardons and commutations than any other president in U.S. history,” Biden declared in a statement following the recent commutations.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump endorsed the First Step Act during his first term, which helped reduce sentences for thousands of inmates, a point Biden acknowledged in his announcement. However, Trump also campaigned on a platform that included executing drug dealers.

The recent round of clemency actions may not be the end for Biden, who noted on Friday that he plans to “continue reviewing further commutations and pardons.”

Contributing: Kristine Phillips, YSL News Network

(This story was revised to fix a typographical error.)