1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

A large number of individuals remain incarcerated for relatively minor, non-violent offenses, often involving drug possession or other victimless crimes. Many of them have already served lengthy sentences and demonstrated rehabilitation through educational programs, good conduct, and support from prison staff. Continuing to imprison these individuals is an inefficient use of limited resources that could be better directed towards more serious crimes and public safety initiatives. It also perpetuates the cycle of poverty, broken families, and lack of opportunity that too often leads to criminal behavior in the first place. By granting clemency to deserving inmates convicted of low-level offenses who have paid their debt to society, you can focus the justice system on more pressing threats while upholding principles of mercy, redemption and second chances. This reasoned approach would make communities safer, ease overcrowding, and begin to undo the disproportionate impact that draconian drug laws have had, particularly on disadvantaged groups.