Prison System Lets Prisoners Go Early
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
The state Board of Correction has decided to
release 579 prisoners early, reducing the number of state inmates
that county jails are holding to its lowest levels since 1998.
A spokeswoman says the decision will reduce the inmate backlog
to about 300 prisoners.
At one point last year county jails were holding more than
1,400 inmates for the state, a record number. Spokeswoman Dina
Tyler says that number dropped after the prison system opened about
700 new beds.
Tyler also pointed to drug courts and dutiful parole workers for
lightening the burden on county jails.
As of today, the backup of state prisons in county jails was 504
inmates. The state prison population today is 13,197.
A growing problem for the department is the number of female
inmates. Of the 504 prisoners in the current backlog, 114 are
female and require separate housing.
