Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) has pardoned dozens of convicted murderers as he finishes out his final weeks in office, sparking backlash for his soft-on-crime approach.

The outgoing governor has freed a total of 56 inmates since October, including 40 murderers, reports Fox News. 

With a disturbingly high rate of 1,094 incarcerated individuals per 100,000 people, Edwards has prioritized reducing the prison population in his final term, which ends at the beginning of January.

“For as long as I can remember, Louisiana reflexively responded to an increase in crime by putting more people in prison and keeping them there longer,” Edwards recently told NOLA.com. 

“We’ve never been made safer as a result of that. There is no data to suggest that an increase in crime here was because of the reforms,” he argued.

Edwards has also released inmates who have been convicted of crimes such as arson, robbery, and drug dealing, according to a list compiled by Fox 8.

The outgoing governor pardoned five first-degree and eleven second-degree convicted murderers in December alone.

Backlash has poured in via social media, with one X user posing the question: “Why do Democrat politicians hate America so much?”

“It’s like they’re actively trying to make the US unlivable? What possible reason could Gov John Bel Edwards have for releasing 40 murderers?” the X user wrote.

Other users drew parallels to former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D), who granted clemency to a suspected serial killer allegedly linked to the deaths of four women.

“Not sure if Gov. John Bel Edwards is sick, evil, or just stupid,” the X poster wrote. “Democrats never met a murderer they didn’t like. He definitely doesn’t need to be in any sort of position of power. There will be so much blood on his hands. Kate Brown did the same thing.”

Edwards plans to continue releasing inmates. He will be succeeded by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) on January 8, 2024. 

Louisiana led the United States with the highest rate of incarcerations per capita, according to a 2021 Prison Policy Initiative report.