Inmate Early Release Applications Soar Under New Obama Rule

Justice Department data obtained by the Associated Press on Thursday reveal that the Obama administration’s plan to reduce America’s prison population has sparked five times as many inmate applications for early release as the year prior. 

Since April, 3,300 federal inmates have taken advantage of the Obama Justice Department’s new clemency initiative to broaden the criteria for early release.

As the Associated Press reported on Thursday, “TheJustice Department in April broadened the criteria for clemencyapplications as a way to reduce the nation’s prison population. To beeligible, inmates must meet a half-dozen criteria, including havingalready served at least 10 years for non-violent crimes.”

President Barack Obama has yet to receive the flood of applications seeking his approval for sentence commutations.