Expanding Executive Clemency Criteria

Justice Department to Expand Executive Clemency Criteria and Prepare for Increase in Eligible Petitions

Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department will soon detail new, more expansive criteria that the Department will use in considering when to recommend clemency applications for the President's review. The Attorney General said the Department will assign additional attorneys to review the new applications that are expected to result from this change. The new criteria will allow the Justice Department and the President to consider requests from a larger field of eligible and deserving individuals, and will ultimately serve to advance the goals of the Attorney General's "Smart on Crime" initiative-to strengthen the criminal justice system, promote public safety, and deliver on the promise of equal justice under the law.