NCJ Number
98130
Date Published
1985
Length
45 pages
Annotation
An analysis of six early release efforts in Washington State between 1979 and 1984 concluded that three of the efforts were clearly successful in relieving prison overcrowding with only minimal reductions in public safety, whereas one reduced public safety and two were too recent for definitive results.
Abstract
The early release efforts involved paroling a total of 1,674 inmates an average of 6 months early. The first three efforts occurred under the parole board's general authority to set and reset prison terms and to parole inmates; the later efforts occurred under the authority of State legislation defining categories of offenders that could not be granted early release. If the early release efforts had not occurred, the difference between inmate population and rated inmate capacity would have be 3 percentage points higher, on the average, than it was as a result of the early release efforts. By the end of fiscal year 1984, inmate population was 133 percent of rated capacity, compared to 88 percent 10 years earlier. Early release was found to produce only a temporary reduction in prison overcrowding. Thus, these programs will not solve the long-term problems of prison overcrowding. Although it appears possible to identify low-risk inmates for early release, the pool of eligible inmates is reduced as more inmates are released. Reduced early release efforts or greater risk to the public will be the only future options to policymakers. Figures, data tables, and five references are supplied.