Clemency is the ability of a authorities official, sometimes the pinnacle of state or authorities, to grant pardon or leniency to an individual who has been convicted of a criminal offense. It may take many kinds, together with commuting a dying sentence to life in jail, lowering the size of a jail sentence, or granting a full pardon.
Clemency is usually granted in circumstances the place there are doubts concerning the guilt of the convicted individual, the place the sentence is seen as unduly harsh, or the place the individual has proven regret and rehabilitation. It may also be granted for humanitarian causes, corresponding to in circumstances the place the individual is terminally unwell or has a younger household that might be left destitute if the individual have been to be imprisoned.
