Justice report shows backlog in clemency petitions

[alp227]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- The number of federally convicted felons seeking pardons or commuted sentences has risen sharply in recent years, causing a growing backlog in the processing of the applications, according to a Justice report released Tuesday.

The report by the Justice Department inspector general says the backlog jumped by 92% from 2005 to 2010. During that period, the number of petitions received more than doubled, accounting for much of the backlog increase. It has gone down slightly in 2011.

However, the report says there's no evidence that chances of favorable presidential action by either the Bush or Obama White House improved. From 2005 to 2010, only 177 petitions -- 3% of nearly 6,000 clemency petitions received -- were granted.

The Constitution gives sole authority to grant clemency to the president. Although the chief executive makes the final decision, most of the work falls to the Justice Department's Office of Pardon Attorney, which first receives the applications.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/27/us/felons-backlog/index.html