California Governor Gavin Newsom on October 22 granted 27 pardons and 30 commutations, his office announced — 57 clemency actions in a single day that the administration said recognise rehabilitation and accountability after conviction.

Source: Governor of California

The governor's office said the grantees were recommended by elected officials, correctional staff including a former prison warden, medical professionals, teachers, and community and faith leaders. With these grants, Newsom has now issued 303 pardons and 199 commutations while in office, according to reporting on the announcement.

Source: Golden Coast Journal

Pardon is not the same as a commutation

A pardon acknowledges rehabilitation and successful reintegration after a conviction. The governor's office said a pardon may remove counterproductive barriers to employment and public service and restore civic rights and responsibilities.

A commutation recognises exceptional post-conviction rehabilitation and generally shortens a sentence so the person can go before the Board of Parole Hearings at an earlier date. It does not by itself release anyone: at the hearing, commissioners consider input from crime victims and survivors and from district attorneys before deciding whether the person can safely be released on parole.

The governor's office said it weighs an applicant's self-development since the offence, whether a grant is consistent with public safety, and the impact on the community, including victims and survivors. It also said the parole board's process has resulted in a very low recidivism rate following release — a claim made by the administration in its announcement.

For California's large immigrant and Punjabi diaspora communities, clemency matters beyond the individuals named: pardons can affect employment, licensing and civic participation for people rebuilding their lives after an old conviction, while commutations shape how long families wait before a loved one even gets a parole hearing.