HARRISBURG (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has issued an executive order on Friday that could free between 1,500 and 1,800 non-violent inmates in state prison to minimize the spread of coronavirus.
Most are serving time for nonviolent offensives.
“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 reentrants.”
The governor’s office says releases to halfway houses or home confinement could start as early as Tuesday.
The inmates being considered are those who are 65 or older, “anyone with an autoimmune disorder; pregnant inmates; anyone with a serious, chronic medical condition such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, bone marrow or organ transplantation, severe obesity, kidney disease, liver disease,[and] cancer; or another medical condition that places them at higher risk for complications of coronavirus as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
As of Friday morning there are 11 COVID-19 cases at one state prison in Montgomery County.
“Just as everyone in the community is dealing with COVID-19, the state prison system is doing the same,” Corrections Sec. John Wetzel said. “We must reduce our inmate population to be able to manage this virus. Without this temporary program, we are risking the health, and potentially lives, of employees and inmates. We can safely release individuals to the community to reduce their vulnerability and allow the department to successfully manage COVID-19.
“Without any current legislation, we are moving forward with the understanding that future legislation could further advance these efforts.”
Inmates that are released will be monitored similarly to those on parole and will be supervised by a parole agent.
When the order expires, the inmates will be returned to prison to serve the rest of their sentences.
Earlier this week, the Allegheny County Jail confirmed a prisoner has tested positive for COVID-19.
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