Report finds federal prisons held 157 inmates too long, one by almost three years

Government folks have such a way with words. Case in point: A federal watchdog report published Tuesday exposes the “untimely release” of inmates from federal prisons. “Untimely” probably seems a bit mild to the individual who was released 928 days late, almost three years, because of an error by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

there were “157 untimely releases attributable to staff error” between 2009 and 2014. Of those, only five inmates were released too soon. The other 152 served too much time.

How can this happen?, are the officials still employed to continue their mistakes?, and two inmates stayed in jail for 1 year longer than their sentences.One person was incarcerated 541 days longer than ordered because jail time credit was not applied to the prison sentence — “a serious deprivation of the inmate’s liberty". This is a fuc8ed up system that appears out of control. www.washingtonpost.com... ars/?wpmm=1&wpinl_politics

a reply to: tommo39

Privatized prison systems are a bane to society.

a reply to: tommo39

It's right there in your link:

Given the 462,000 people released during those years, BOP made few mistakes.

This is an average of 92,400 people released each year. The average amount of mistakes for a late release date (excluding the five who were released early) is 30.4.

So, what we're looking at is a statistical rate of error per year of 0.03%. That is three-one-hundredths-of-one-percent resulting in error. With the amount of paperwork and the fact that human error is always a problem in any job, that's actually pretty effin' impressive that the errors are that low concerning late release dates.

I'm not trying to take away anything from the negative effect that it has on these 152 individuals who were released late during that five-year timespan--and it absolutely is a problem that needs fixed--but such a low rate of error should be applauded, not over-dramatically described as (your words) "a fuc8ed up system that appears out of control."

0.03% error rate.

Not out of control.

I wish it were perfect, but nothing is. Let's quit using hyperbole to over-inflate the size of the problem.

a reply to: tommo39

Because we allow prisons for profit.

End this system of un-justice and you'll see things slowly change. But as it stands our prison for profit scheme is detrimental to the justice system, the inmates, the tax payers...and everyone involved. (With the exception of judges and those that run those prisons...as they are getting rich.)

a reply to: SlapMonkey

Tell that to the prisoners who remained in prison AFTER their due release date, i'm sure they will agree with you, ha,ha.....

a reply to: tommo39

this is bad!

originally posted by: SlapMonkey
a reply to: tommo39

It's right there in your link:

Given the 462,000 people released during those years, BOP made few mistakes.

This is an average of 92,400 people released each year. The average amount of mistakes for a late release date (excluding the five who were released early) is 30.4.

So, what we're looking at is a statistical rate of error per year of 0.03%. That is three-one-hundredths-of-one-percent resulting in error. With the amount of paperwork and the fact that human error is always a problem in any job, that's actually pretty effin' impressive that the errors are that low concerning late release dates.

I'm not trying to take away anything from the negative effect that it has on these 152 individuals who were released late during that five-year timespan--and it absolutely is a problem that needs fixed--but such a low rate of error should be applauded, not over-dramatically described as (your words) "a fuc8ed up system that appears out of control."

0.03% error rate.

Not out of control.

I wish it were perfect, but nothing is. Let's quit using hyperbole to over-inflate the size of the problem.

The problem with your argument is the fact that those 157 inmates were sure to notify guards, have family contact the prisons and most likely the courts, and some might have even had documentation and legal support for their alarms. Three years too long is not a mistake. It's an egregious violation. Hopefully the inmates will sue and teach the prisons that it's not profitable to keep inmates longer than they are supposed to.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
The problem with your argument is the fact that those 157 inmates were sure to notify guards, have family contact the prisons and most likely the courts, and some might have even had documentation and legal support for their alarms. Three years too long is not a mistake. It's an egregious violation. Hopefully the inmates will sue and teach the prisons that it's not profitable to keep inmates longer than they are supposed to.

(sorry for the late response)

From the article, at it says it all:

Given the 462,000 people released during those years, BOP made few mistakes. Sixty percent of the inmates released late were set free within a month of the correct date and 38 percent were freed from 31 days to one year late. But each case represents a serious lapse for people incarcerated longer than they should have been.

“Although these cases were rare and the overall error rate was low, several of these errors led to egregious results,” Horowitz said.

“Two other inmates were incarcerated more than a year longer than they should have been. Another 58 stayed at least a month past when their sentence should have ended.

“Being released from prison late is unjust and raises serious civil liberties concerns,” he added. “Early releases, meanwhile, can put communities at risk.”

I agree with Mr. Horowitz's last statement there--ANY late release from incarceration is a terrible infringement upon personal liberty, and those are seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and sometimes years that these people cannot get back.

But that said, my point is that the alarmism in the OP about this being "a fuc8ed up system that appears out of control" is hyperbole at its worst. Yes, this is a major problem, but not one that is overwhelming, very common, nor indicative of a massive abuse of our justice system.