Pubdate: Tue, 01 Jul 2003
Source: Walla Walla Union-Bulletin (WA)
Copyright: 2003 Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.union-bulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2619

BUDGET WOES OPEN PRISON DOORS FOR SOME

Nearly 300 Prisoners Will Be Released In Washington State Today, Including 
25 From The Penitentiary Here

OLYMPIA - About 280 convicts throughout the state are getting an early 
release from prison this week, due to the state's budget woes.

The Legislature and Gov. Gary Locke approved early release for certain 
nonviolent offenders in an attempt to fill a $2.6 billion budget hole 
without raising taxes.

The first group, including 25 from the Washington State Penitentiary in 
Walla Walla, was set for early release today. Few, if any, will remain in 
the Walla Walla area, according to Penitentiary spokeswoman Lori Scamahorn.

Scamahorn said she believes the Walla Walla facility had the lowest early 
release rate of any of the 15 major institutions in the state. Many of the 
most violent criminals are incarcerated at the Penitentiary, so most of the 
2,079 inmates there are not eligible for the early release program.

Granting more ``time off for good behavior' to nonviolent offenders is 
expected to save the state $40 million over the next two years. One year of 
prison costs an average of $23,725 in Washington state.

But some critics say releasing petty criminals early just shifts the 
problem to local communities' budgets and back yards. What the state calls 
``low-risk' doesn't necessarily mean a low risk for committing more crimes, 
said Tom McBride, executive secretary of the Washington Association of 
Prosecuting Attorneys, which opposed the measure.

McBride said people sentenced to prison for property crimes or small-time 
drug offenses generally have a history of prior convictions - and those, he 
said, are the people most likely to re-offend.

But Elizabeth Shay, spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections' 
Southwest Region, said corrections officials carefully reviewed the early 
releases.

The prisoners being released early from prison today were convicted of 
crimes including possession of stolen property, burglary, hit-and-run, 
identity theft and bail jumping. But the vast majority were imprisoned for 
drug crimes.

The new law that enables their early release allows certain nonviolent 
offenders to lop off half of their sentences for ``good behavior,' up from 
a third of their sentences.

People who were convicted of violent crimes, dealing drugs to minors, sex 
offenses and residential burglaries are not eligible under the new early 
release law.

Also, people convicted of manufacturing or dealing methamphetamine aren't 
eligible. However, many less serious meth-related offenses show up on the 
list of early releases, such as meth possession or unlawful possession of 
ephedrine with the intent to manufacture meth.

Corrections spokesman Veltry Johnson said corrections officials strictly 
followed the new law in determining who was eligible for early release.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens