Washington Department of Corrections Reviews Prison Sentences After Software Problem

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – A software problem has caused the Department of Corrections to review up to 3,500 sentences after learning that at least a dozen Washington prison inmates were held too long or released too early.

The Seattle Times reported Monday that the calculation problem involves offenders who served time in prison before being released into community supervision but then violated the terms of their release and were returned to prison. Two of the offenders with miscalculated sentences were released early from prison, while 10 others were held beyond their correct term.

DOC staffers discovered the problem last year while examining certain types of community-supervision sentences and finding they weren’t adding up correctly, possibly leading to early or late releases. DOC officials say they don’t know long the miscalculations have been occurring.
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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com