Convicts allowed out early to save taxpayers’ money…
Some prison inmates will be released early, under a bill signed into law recently by Gov. Gary Locke.
Senate Bill 5990 will save taxpayers about $50 million — and will toughen some penalties for the most violent criminals.
“It turned out to be good policy while saving some money,” bill sponsor Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, told the Associated Press.
Some offenders, mostly those convicted of non-violent drug- and property crimes, could see have their sentences erased for good behavior.
Hargrove told the AP that a typical non-violent offender will serve two or three months less now, which he called a negligible risk to public safety.
Senate Bill 5990 will save taxpayers about $50 million — and will toughen some penalties for the most violent criminals.
“It turned out to be good policy while saving some money,” bill sponsor Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, told the Associated Press.
Some offenders, mostly those convicted of non-violent drug- and property crimes, could see have their sentences erased for good behavior.
Hargrove told the AP that a typical non-violent offender will serve two or three months less now, which he called a negligible risk to public safety.
* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Eye On Olympia." Read all stories from this blog