U.S. Justice Department Preparing For The Early Release 6,000 Inmates As Part Of Efforts to Reduce Overcrowding In Prisons and Reform Criminal Justice Laws

Federal law enforcement officials announced Monday that the United States Justice Department is preparing the early release around 6,000 inmates from federal prisons starting Oct. 30. This is part of the government's effort to lessen overcrowding in penitentiaries and relieve prisoners who were given disproportionately harsh sentences in the past three decades.

The Bureau of Prisons will release inmates nationwide between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2. This will be one of the largest one-time discharges of inmates from federal prisons in U.S. history.

Of the 6,000 inmates, two-thirds of them will be committed to halfway houses or home confinement before being placed on supervised release, Washington Post reports Monday. A third of the inmates are undocumented immigrants who will be deported immediately after they've been set free. Since many of these foreign inmates were convicted of grave offenses, it is unlikely that President Obama will be slammed by critics of previous deportations under his administration.

The early release is the result of an initiative by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to reduce the imposable penalty for future drug offenders and make the change apply retroactively. This is separate ffrom President Obama's decision to grant clemency to nonviolent drug offenders which saw the early release of 89 inmates.

Approximately 46,000 drug offenders could qualify for early release. "The number of people who will be affected is quite exceptional," said Mary Price, Families Against Mandatory Minimums general counsel.

The second batch release in Nov. 1 could include an estimate of 8,550 inmates.

The U.S. accounts for one-fourth of the world's prison population. Justice officials say federal prisons are operating beyond their capacity by nearly 40 percent. Federal prisons take in a $27 billion allocation, which is one-third of the Justice Department's budget.

New York Times writes Monday, with the growing population in prisons, Republican and Democratic lawmakers proposed a major overhaul to the criminal justice system, introducing measures aimed at the reduction of mandatory minimums and granting early release for prisoners serving sentences disproportionate to the crimes they were convicted of.   

While many support the reforms and early releases, some are worried that a large one-time discharge could lead to an exponential spike in U.S. crime rates.

Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates clarified that the reductions are not automatic and prisoners are required to petition for the reassessment of their sentences before they may qualify for early release. "Under the commission's directive, federal judges are required to carefully consider public safety in deciding whether to reduce an inmate's sentence," Yates said.

Aside from examining an inmate's behavior in prison, judges will also look at the possibility of an inmate to resort to crime and violence if released.

With this new mechanism, two years will be taken of eligible prisoners' imposed sentences. Prior to their release, prisoners will still have served substantial sentences.

"Far too many people have lost years of their lives to draconian sentencing laws born of the failed drug war," said Jesselyn McCurdy, senior legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union. "We are overjoyed that some of the people so wronged will get their freedom back."