Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles
available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Commutation of
sentence involves the reduction of legal penalties, especially in terms
of imprisonment. Unlike a pardon, a commutation does not nullify the
conviction and is often conditional. Clemency is a similar term, meaning
the lessening of the penalty of the crime without forgiving the crime
itself. The act of clemency is a reprieve. Today, pardons and reprieves
are granted in many countries when individuals have demonstrated that
they have fulfilled their debt to society, or are otherwise deserving
(in the opinion of the pardoning official) of a pardon or reprieve.
