( CNN ) The Obama administration has consistently supported measures aimed at reforming mandatory minimum prison sentencing for nonviolent drug offenders . But President Barack Obama 's recent decision to commute the prison sentences of only eight federal inmates -- incarcerated for drug crimes -- has left advocates wanting more . The forgiveness of a crime after a sentence is served or the reduction of a sentence currently being served is one of the few presidential powers widely unchecked by Congress or the courts . Commutations are traditionally issued in the weeks leading up to the holidays . The eight offenders granted commutations this year ( here is the full list from the White House ) were all serving lengthy sentences , half of them life sentences , for drug offenses related to crack cocaine and methamphetamine . Although this was the same number of commutations granted in 2013 , many expected the number to be much greater given the Justice Department 's April announcement of a new prison reform initiative aimed at making it easier for the administration to pardon or reduce sentences of non-violent offenders . `` Well , it 's a start , albeit a disappointingly small one , '' said Julie Stewart of Families Against Mandatory Minimums . `` Given the administration 's pronouncement that it wants to grant more clemencies , I was surprised they granted the exact same number of commutations as last December . '' The initiative launched by the Obama administration and outside advocacy groups earlier this year was touted as a way to `` quickly and effectively identify '' inmates serving mandatory minimum sentences that have since been characterized as `` out-of-date '' and inappropriate , according to a statement made by Deputy Attorney General James Cole in May . Cole said the President 's decision to grant clemency to these eight individuals `` sustains his commitment to bring fairness to our criminal justice system . While all eight were properly held accountable for their criminal actions , their punishments did not fit their crimes , and sentencing laws and policies have since been updated to ensure more fairness for low-level offenders . '' But the Clemency Report , an advocacy group dedicated to making executive clemency work on the federal level , called the number of commutes `` disgraceful in an era of mass imprisonment , '' according to a statement posted to their website . The advocacy group pointed out that no marijuana , powder cocaine or LSD offenders had their sentences shortened despite the fact that an estimated 2,000 federal inmates qualify for commutation consideration under the administration 's new criteria . This new policy dictates offenders must be low-level , nonviolent and without a significant criminal history . They also must have served at least 10 years of their sentence and have demonstrated good conduct in prison , with no history of violence before or during their incarceration . One federal inmate who clearly meets the Justice Department criteria for commutation is Timothy Tyler , sentenced to two life sentences without the possibility of parole for conspiracy to possess LSD with the intent to distribute . He has spent more than 20 years in prison but has been clinging to the hope he will someday be free as a result of the Justice Department 's initiative and the absence of a violent past . Timothy 's sister , Carrie , who has dedicated her life to tirelessly efforting her brother 's release , believes that the lack of commutations this year does not indicate a reluctance on Obama 's part to follow through with prison reforms . But it is evidence of the bureaucracy-induced backlog caused by the amount of applications for qualified inmates , she believes . RELATED : Man hopes new sentencing rules will get him out . Obama has received 15,646 petitions for commutation since 2009 and , with the addition of the eight granted this year , has granted a total of 21 . That 's more than the number granted by Presidents George W. Bush , Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan at the same stage in their presidencies . `` One of [ the pardoned prisoners ] is Tim 's friend and he put his petition in two years ago , '' Carrie Tyler said . `` Tim 's petition has not been submitted . It will be in the beginning of the year . It has taken them over a year to do his petition . '' She is still hopeful her brother 's name will be on the list of those released some day in the near future . `` I believe more will come in the future . I think he [ the President ] will keep his promise , '' Carrie Tyler . Stewart , of Families Against Mandatory Minimums , which has been working on Timothy Tyler 's release , also remains optimistic . `` I think the new pardon attorney , Deborah Leff , is genuinely interested in finding deserving candidates , '' she said of the new head of the Office of the Pardon Attorney , long been seen as the `` Office of No . ''
President Barack Obama recently commuted the sentences of eight federal drug offenders . The Obama administration has consistently supported mandatory minimum sentence reforms . Advocates say they are disappointed with the low number of commutations by Obama .