The United States has a higher prison population than every other country in the world. Most of the people in federal prison are there because of non-violent drug crimes.
In 2010, Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act to reduce mandatory minimum drug sentences that had a disparate impact on African Americans. However, the law did not apply to offenders sentenced before it took effect. Thousands of prisoners still serving time would already have been released if they had been convicted under the new law.
In spite of this, President Obama has pardoned less people than any other president in recent history. President Obama should pardon non-violent offenders and help put a stop to the overly harsh and discriminatory punishment for non-violent drug crimes.