The Radical Humaneness of Norways Halden Prison. The goal of the Norwegian penal system is to get inmates out of it. Joe Arpaio Pardon, Trump And How Clemencies Are Supposed to Work NPR. Former Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio, seen in 2. President Trump on Friday. Sandy HuffakerGetty Images. Sandy HuffakerGetty Images. Braillecm-052517-ph04' alt='Work After Prison Programs' title='Work After Prison Programs' />San Quentin Inmates Trained to Land HighPaying Tech Jobs After Release Dont Return to Prison. In the early 1990s the Mexico City government decided it was better for children born in prison to stay with their mothers until they were 6 rather than to. Finding a job is frequently the No. Prison pen pals seeking friendship. Inmates personal profiles, inmates legal profiles and inmate resumes. Men and women behind bars seeking letters on WriteAPrisoner. Latest Galleries. Man missing after boat capsizes at Falling Creek Reservoir Note about ISIS found in truck used in NYC terrorist attack, sources say. July 5, 2017 After nine years in prison, Syrita SteibMartin was ready for college. With 30 transfer credits and a 3. GPA from taking classes while incarcerated. Former Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio, seen in 2. Stress Exe. President Trump on Friday. Sandy HuffakerGetty Images. Updated at 5 1. 5 p. ETPresident Trump has exercised clemency power for the first time in his young presidency to bestow a pardon on former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio, 8. 5, had faced sentencing Oct. Justice Department prosecutors argued he indiscriminately targeted Latinos and detained them without evidence they had broken the law. Hes done a great job for the people of Arizona, the president said at a news conference Monday. Hes very strong on borders, very strong on illegal immigration. He is loved in Arizona. I thought he was treated unbelievably unfairly. But the decision by Trump to use his pardon authority on behalf of a controversial law enforcement figure elicited disapproval from across the political spectrum, including the Republican speaker of the House and top lawyers at the American Civil Liberties Union. It also provoked questions about how clemency happens and whether there are any limits on presidential pardon authority. Work After Prison Programs' title='Work After Prison Programs' />Here are attempts to answer some of those 1. What gives the president the power to grant clemency The power to pardon comes from Article II of the U. S. Constitution, which says the president shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States. Firebird Sql Update Or Insert Sql. Courts have interpreted this authority broadly. He can do what he wants as long as its a federal crime he is granting clemency for. Typically, the Justice Departments Office of Pardon Attorney reviews applications and makes recommendations. Under Justice Department guidelines, people are not encouraged to apply for clemency until five years after their conviction or sentencing. But the White House can and does make clemency grants outside of the lengthy Justice Department process, as it did in the Arpaio case, since the former sheriff had not yet been punished and had not submitted paperwork to authorities. I stand by my pardon of Sheriff Joe, Trump told reporters Monday. Whats the difference between a pardon and a commutation A pardon is considered an expression of forgiveness by the president, according to Justice Department guidance. It doesnt mean a person is innocent, but makes it easier for him to vote, serve as a member of a jury, run for political office and, in many cases, win licenses to own firearms and perform certain jobs. Wiping a persons criminal record clean entirely requires another judicial step, called expungement. A commutation shortens a persons prison sentence, but it does not remove a conviction from his or her record. People who win commutations are still required to pay restitution for their crimes. President Trumps allies point out theres a long history of controversial clemency decisions, going back decades. What about those Late in President Obamas tenure, he commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, who had already served seven years for leaking secret State Department cables and war logs to the website Wiki. Leaks. Manning had been sentenced to 3. Trump called Manning a criminal leaker at his news conference. Obama pardoned retired Gen. James Cartwright, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with reporters investigating Irans nuclear program. Like Arpaio, Cartwright was pardoned before he was sentenced by a federal judge. The Justice Department had asked the judge to impose a two year sentence. Under President George W. Bush, former vice presidential aide Lewis Scooter Libby won a commutation in a leak case involving the identity of a CIA operative. And, in the Bill Clinton years, his pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich launched investigations by Congress and federal prosecutors in New York. So why is there so much bipartisan outcry over clemency for Arpaio The Justice Department opened its investigation into Arpaio after a referral from a federal judge and career prosecutors from the public integrity section led the case. Matthew Axelrod, a Justice Department official during the Obama administration, said the granting of this pardon exhibits disrespect for the federal judiciary. By pardoning him, Axelrod said, Trump effectively neutered the ability of the judge who issued that order to have it enforced. Thats a dangerous precedent. He added Sheriff Arpaio was not convicted of doing his job, as Trump said the other day he was convicted of failing to enforce the law consistent with the Constitution.