Obama Reduces Prison Terms for 58 Individuals Convicted of Drug Crimes

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of 58 people incarcerated for drug offences, the White House said in a statement on Thursday.

Many of the prisoners were convicted of drug trafficking or conspiracy to distribute drugs. One man, who was sentenced to life in prison for marijuana distribution, will be released in September.

The move is the president’s latest attempt to change the US criminal justice system by reducing the sentences of non-violent criminal offenders. Obama’s efforts are intended to ease overcrowding in US prisons and help prisoners transition back to society.

On Wednesday, the US Department of Justice announced that it will no longer use the terms "convict" and "felon," saying they are demeaning and constitute barriers to the reintegration of ex-offenders.

The United States has the largest prison population in the world with nearly 2.2 million imprisoned individuals and an additional 4.5 million placed on probation or parole.

About half of all inmates have been imprisoned for non-violent drug-related offences, according to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics.