A bug in the logistical software used by prisons in Washington State allowed more than 3,200 prisoners to be released earlier than intended.
The glitch has been around for 13 years, since it was introduced with a software update following a 2002 court ruling that allowed prison term reduction for good behavior credits.
Authorities became aware of the issue in 2012, when the family of one victim discovered the inmate was being released too early. In spite of this, the Washington Department of Corrections (DoC) had taken appropriate measures until a newly appointed IT manager realized the depth of the problem and informed the governor’s office.
“That this problem was allowed to continue for 13 years is deeply disappointing to me, totally unacceptable and, frankly, maddening,” said Washington's Governor Jay Inslee at a press conference.
At this time it remains unclear whether any crimes were committed by the offenders in this time, but state officials responded by ordering the majority of prisoners to return to jail and finish out the remainder of their sentences. In most instances, that sentence is 49 days, but one prisoners was released nearly two years earlier.
An update rectifying the problem will take affect following January 7, but until then, all future sentence cuts will be manually calculated.
Local police are currently rounding up the offenders with five having already been returned to their cells. American prison industrial complex is the gift that keeps giving.
Given how poorly the DoC handled the situation in the first place, it’s no surprise that an independent investigation will seek to find who is at fault for sweeping the mistake under the rug for so many years.
Source: BCC
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