Governor Tom Wolf ordered Friday for Department of Corrections officials to set up a temporary program for some prisoners to be released early from jail.
The order was made to help the department in moving some qualifying inmates from prisons to community corrections facilities or to home confinement, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in correctional facilities.
In a statement issued by the Governor's office, Governor Wolf says "We can reduce our non-violent prison population and leave fewer inmates at risk for contracting COVID-19 while maintaining public safety with this program," Gov. Wolf said, "I am pleased to direct the Department of Corrections to begin the process to release vulnerable and non-violent inmates at or nearing their release dates in an organized way that maintain supervision post-release and ensures home and health care plans are in place for all re-entrants."
Officials say they must reduce the amount of inmates to be able to manage the virus. Not doing to, would risk the lives of inmates and employees.
Under the temporary order:
- Approximately 1,500 to 1,800 inmates would be eligible to be released. However, due to health care, behavioral health treatment, housing, and food security, the number of releases could be lower.
- The releases could start as early as Tuesday, April 14.