Obama commutes 95 more prison sentences

President Obama has commuted the prison sentences of 95 non-violent offenders, most of whom had drug convictions, the White House announced Friday, bringing his total for the year to more than 150.

{mosads}The move comes amid the Obama administration’s efforts to reduce overcrowding in prisons and push for criminal justice reform, a topic on both Capitol Hill and amid the 2016 presidential campaign.

It’s the third time this year that Obama has used his executive power to grant clemency to those convicted of drug-related offenses, commuting 22 sentences in March and 46 in July. 

Obama said during his year-end press conference that the commutations represent “another step forward in upholding our fundamental ideas of justice and fairness.”

The White House said that with the Friday announcement Obama has granted 184 commutations, more than the past five presidents combined. Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, who granted the most, had a combined 90 commutations.

Most of the commutations involved non-violence drug offenders, though at least one involved armed robbery. Obama also pardoned two individuals for bank fraud and counterfeiting.

“I am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around,” Obama wrote in separate letters Thursday he signed to the individuals who were commuted. “Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity.”

“It will not be easy, and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change,” Obama wrote, encouraging the individuals to “remember that you have the capacity to make good choices.”

Forty of those who received commutations were serving life sentences. Advocates for reducing the U.S. prison population have focused on reforming penalties for non-violent drug offenders.