Formerly incarcerated leader Alice Johnson has been named “pardon czar,” to provide leadership on the process of clemency. Johnson spent nearly 22 years in prison for a first-time, nonviolent offense before being pardoned in 2020.
“During her time in prison, Johnson said she relied on her faith in God, volunteered as a hospice worker, mentored other incarcerated women and even wrote theatre plays.
“Since her release, Johnson has been a staunch advocate for criminal justice reform, demanding an end to mandatory minimum sentencing laws. She founded the Taking Action for Good Foundation to assist others in obtaining clemency. She also published a memoir titled, After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom, in 2019.
“‘Now that I have a voice, I’m going to use it to fight for those who are still incarcerated, who don’t have a voice like I have right now,’ she told the ACLU after her release.
“‘Sentencing reform makes sense, and for the sake of humanity, it’s time for some commonsense politics about sentencing. It’s about people’s lives.’ …
“Johnson emphasized that ensuring ‘safety in the communities’ is a top priority when making pardon recommendations. She aims to guarantee that those who receive commuted sentences have not just a second chance but also ‘their best chance of success.’
“‘I don’t want to help people come home and then at the same time they’re set up for failure,’ Johnson said, adding that there would be follow up and check-ins to support those transitioning from prison.
“The check-ins will not be conducted in collaboration with probation to ‘catch them doing something wrong but to make sure that they have things that will help them make right decisions,’ such as mental health support.”