In the United States, a pardon can only be granted by an Executive of the government. In the case of the Federal government, that means the President of the United States, and in fact, the President's right to pardon individuals is denoted explicitly in the U.S. Constitution.
http://www.clearupmyrecord.com/what-is-a-governors-pardon.php
In a related concept, commutation, the government reduces the sentence, but does not forgive the crime. Usually, prisoners have assistance from an attorney with experience in the criminal justice system in the process of drafting a pardon application and soliciting support.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-government-pardon.htm
However, for offenses against the state, the right of Presidential pardon does not apply. In these cases, the power of pardon rests with the Governor. To get a pardon in a particular state, you will generally need to receive a Governor's pardon.
http://www.clearupmyrecord.com/what-is-a-governors-pardon.php
A pardon is an act of the Executive of a state or country whereby a person is forgiven of a crime. If the person is still serving criminal penalties such as a prison sentence, that penalty is no longer in effect and the person will be released immediately.
http://www.clearupmyrecord.com/what-is-a-governors-pardon.php
If you have committed a crime and feel that you were convicted unjustly, or are repentant and want a second chance, you are probably aware that there are several ways in which to clear your criminal record.
http://www.clearupmyrecord.com/what-is-a-governors-pardon.php
The pardon does not expunge the record or erase the conviction. Instead, the government forgives the prisoner for committing the crime and reduces the sentence. A government pardon may result in an immediate release from prison if the prisoner has served enough time to satisfy the government.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-government-pardon.htm
When the President grants a pardon, it really is a 'get out of jail free' card; any sentence being served at that moment is commuted, or ended early. A pardon doesn't get rid of a criminal record (or, in legal terms, expunge it), but the punishments associated with a conviction are ended. Thus, if a person is on death row, they are released; likewise if they're imprisoned. As you can imagine, this is a pretty powerful tool.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/presidential-pardon-definition-process.html
Lesson Summary: The power to pardon is a presidential act authorized by Article II, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution. With this power, a President can remove a conviction (but not from the official record), commute a sentence, or grant amnesty from future conviction for a given crime.
http://study.com/academy/lesson/presidential-pardon-definition-process.html
Top 10 unbelievable historical concurrencies. A government pardon is a formal forgiveness for a crime, accompanied with a reduction in sentence. Depending on the nature of the crime and the nation, pardons can come from a number of sources. Heads of state usually have authority to grant pardons and people like state governors may be able to do so as well.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-government-pardon.htm
Whether a presidential pardon or a governor's pardon, there is a big difference between a pardon and expungement. As mentioned above, when a crime is pardoned, it still exists as a matter of public record that anyone can access.
http://www.clearupmyrecord.com/what-is-a-governors-pardon.php
what is pardon in government
In government, pardon is a formal forgiveness for a crime, accompanied by a reduction in sentence. In the government, Pardon is a formal forgiveness for a crime, accompanied with a reduction in sentence.