Obama commutes the sentences of 102 more inmates

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President Obama on Thursday commuted the sentences of 102 more inmates, bringing the total number of inmates whose sentences have been reduced by Obama to 774. Thirty-five of the 102 sentences Obama shortened Thursday were reductions from a life sentence.

The commutations are a continuation of Obama's efforts to free people who were mostly incarcerated for nonviolent drug crimes, though 13 of Thursday's sentences involved the use of a firearm. The inmates granted clemency Thursday will be released February 2017 at the earliest, and more will be granted freedom over the next several years.

CNN notes that in 2016 alone, Obama has commuted the sentences of 590 prisoners, "the most commutations in any single year of U.S. history." White House Counsel Neil Eggleston said the president would continue to personally review applications for commutation until he leaves office next January. "He focuses individually on each one of these," Eggleston told CNN. "The way he really thinks about this is giving people second chances."