On Thursday, the White House announced that President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of 102 inmates. This makes 774 total convicts who had their sentences shortened by Obama since he took office. In a tweet Thursday afternoon, the White House posted a graphic showing that the President has commuted more sentences than the past 11 Presidents combined.
All of the prisoners who will be released early had been convicted of drug offenses. In 2014, Obama began reviewing sentences of drug offenders who would have received lighter punishments under today’s sentencing guidelines, compared to past punishments that were doled out during the “war on drugs.” Some of Thursday’s beneficiaries, however, were also serving punishments for gun-related offenses.
While a lot of the commutations resulted in inmates being released after having their sentences shortened to time already served, others will remain incarcerated, just with less time remaining for their sentences than they had before.
[Image via Drop of Light/Shutterstock]