Preparing the Pardon Power for the 21st Century

Abstract

In the following pages, I aim to review what the literature of political science has to say about the topic of reform of state and federal clemency processes. I then share what I would like to see change with respect to federal executive clemency. Admittedly, much of my thinking is influenced by the views of predecessors in my discipline. I then identify what I believe should be explicit goals and baselines for future assessment of the pardon power.