clemency

Clemency means forgiveness of a crime or cancellation (in whole or in part) of the sentence associated with it. This is a general concept that encompasses several related processes: the pardon, commutation, remission and forgiveness. The pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the cancellation of the sanction, which is normally granted for a head of state (as a monarch or president) or by a religious authority. Commutation or remission is the reduction of sentence for the crime without forgiveness, the recipient is still considered guilty of a crime. A pardon is the temporary postponement of the sentence.

Today, the pardons granted in many countries where people have shown that they have fulfilled their debt to society, or otherwise deemed to have been won. Forgiveness is sometimes offered to people who claim they were wrongly convicted. Some believe that accepting such a pardon implicitly constitutes an admission of guilt, then, in some cases the offer is rejected. (Wrongful conviction is now often treated as an appeal for forgiveness). The softness plays a very important role in the death penalty is applied.