Outgoing US President Joe Biden said he was pardoning 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes and commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 others who were serving long prison terms.
The pardons and clemency come over a week after the president signed an unconditional pardon for his son Hunter.
Officials said last week that the White House was listening to demands for Mr Biden to extend the same grace to thousands of people wronged by the US judicial system.
The commutations were announced for those who were placed on home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"These commutation recipients, who were placed on home confinement during the Covid pandemic, have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities and have shown that they deserve a second chance," Mr Biden said.
Mr Biden said these people would have received shorter sentences if charged under today's laws, policies, and practices.
Sources said last week that the pardons that were being discussed were said to include those convicted of nonviolent drug offenses and people identified by civil rights groups as unjustly incarcerated.
"As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses," Mr Biden said.
The president added that he will take more steps in the weeks ahead and that his administration will continue reviewing clemency petitions.
The White House said that the clemencies granted by Mr Biden were the most ever in a single day.
It said those getting relief from the president included a "a decorated military veteran and pilot who spends much of his time helping his fellow church members".
A nurse "who has led emergency response for several natural disasters" and a addiction counsellor "who volunteers his time" were also singled out for relief.
"Together, these actions build on the President's record of criminal justice reform to help reunite families, strengthen communities, and reintegrate individuals back into society," the White House said.
"The President has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms."
President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on 20 January, has said he would act on his first day in office to pardon rioters involved in the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack, further building expectations for a broad granting of clemency.
