“Clemency and Violent Crimes: The Wall Comes Tumbling Down”

The title of this post is the title of this short paper authored by Mark Osler now available via SSRN. Here is its abstract:

The Trump and Biden administrations established new trends in the use of the pardon power. One of the most striking shifts was both Presidents’ willingness to extend clemency to those convicted of violent crimes. This short book chapter reveals and analyzes this development while arguing for a fresh-start reform of the federal clemency evaluation process.