President Obama Commutes Sentences Of A Record-Breaking 330 Individuals

On his last full day in office, President Obama announced that he is letting 330 federal drug crime inmates complete their sentences ahead of schedule.

This is the most prison sentences commuted by a president in a single day in history. It includes more than 50 individuals who received life sentences.

In total, Obama has commuted the sentences of 1,715 people, more than any other president before him. Last-minute use of the clemency power is common at the end of presidential terms.

Obama has spoken out against the high rates of incarceration in the United States, but since the 2010 midterms elections, he has been unable to make much progress pushing reforms through Congress. This left executive power — and the ability to offer clemency — as the president's main tool to address the issue.

Photo credit: White House