The text seems to be a transcript of a segment from a news or talk show, discussing various events and topics.
The segment starts with a mention of the recent busy political landscape, including the Iran deal, Greece's economic crisis, and Donald Trump's statements. It then moves on to a piece of news that may have been overlooked amidst these events - President Obama's granting of clemency to 46 nonviolent drug offenders, the most in one day since the 1960s. This brings President Obama's total number of commutations to 89. The segment compares this to the "Last Chance Kitchen" show, where chefs get a second chance.
The segment then introduces the concept of mandatory minimums, laws that require judges to impose a certain minimum sentence for certain crimes, regardless of the circumstances. This topic is discussed in the context of the increasing prison population since the 1980s, largely due to these laws. The segment also mentions the human cost of these laws, including the impact on minorities and the disproportionate sentences they receive.
The segment concludes with a call for retroactive changes to mandatory minimum laws, allowing existing prisoners to apply for reduced sentences. It also mentions the need for state and federal governments to repeal these laws going forward. The segment ends with a light-hearted note, mentioning the presidential pardon given to two turkeys, symbolizing the Thanksgiving dinner.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. President Obama granted clemency to 46 nonviolent drug offenders in one day, the most since the 1960s.
2. Mandatory minimums are laws that require judges to impose a minimum number of years in prison for certain crimes, regardless of context.
3. Mandatory minimums were mostly passed during the tough-on-crime era of the 1980s and 90s and are partially responsible for the explosion of the prison population since 1980.
4. Nearly three-quarters of federal drug offenders sentenced under mandatory minimums are black or Hispanic.
5. Many judges, legislators, and former supporters of mandatory minimums have spoken out against them and some reforms have been made at the federal and state level, but not retroactively.
6. Thousands of people are currently stuck in prison for crimes that would carry far shorter sentences if they committed them just a few years later, such as Weldon Angelo's, Sharonda Jones, and Kevin Ott.
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