State ready to free hundreds of prisoners amid COVID-19
OLYMPIA — The state could begin freeing hundreds of inmates from Washington prisons by the weekend as authorities move to protect inmates from COVID-19 by thinning the population behind bars.
The state Department of Corrections published the names of 1,167 inmates set to be let out early, but did not say where they were locked up, or for what crime. As of Thursday, releases were set to begin in the next 48 hours.
Corrections officials said they intend to release inmates who are near the end of their sentences and not serving time for violent or sex offenses. And prisoners getting out must have an established address and a current Washington state identification, according to information from the department.
The department is taking this route in response to a state Supreme Court order to do more to reduce prisoners’ risk of exposure to coronavirus, especially those considered most vulnerable due to their age or underlying medical conditions. About 18,000 people are held in state prisons, meaning it affects about 6½ percent of the inmate population.
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