No president's child has ever been charged or convicted of crimes before Hunter Biden, but other relatives of presidents have received clemency.

President Joe Biden's decision to break his word and pardon his son Hunter has spurred a broader discussion about what else he should be doing with the broad clemency powers of the presidency before he leaves office in January,

The presidential pardon is a centuries-old practice. As questions swirl around Joe Biden pardoning Hunter Biden, here’s a look into how the practice came about.