NC Prisons Granting Early Release for Some to Help Slow COVID-19 Spread
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety announced Thursday, that it has begun to release several prisoners from NC facilities to begin serving their sentences in the community instead. These offenders all fall into what NCDPS says are higher-risk if they were to contract the coronavirus.
The first of those individuals were transitioned out starting last week, with six women who were either pregnant or over age 65, released on April 9.
NCDPS is also reducing prison populations by granting time credits where appropriate to give early releases. Some 300 individuals were released under this program in March, who would normally have been released in April, May or June. These individuals were all transitioned to “post-release supervision” programs to complete their sentences.
“The department has been reviewing all options to protect public safety as well as our employees and those in the state’s custody,” Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks said. “Many of those options were implemented quickly, providing immediate impact, while others have required more preparation.”
There are approximately 500 other offenders being considered for the high-risk early release. There are very specific parameters on who can be considered, including victim notification (when applicable) and not having been convicted of a violent crime against a person, according to NCDPS. Individuals must fall into one of several categories to qualify as well:
- Pregnant offenders
- Offenders age 65 and older with underlying health conditions
- Female offenders age 50 and older with health conditions and a release date in 2020
- Offenders age 65 and older with a release date in 2020
- Offenders already on home leave with a release date in 2020
- Offenders on work release with a release date in 2020
Secretary Erik Hooks: We are not currently considering individuals incarcerated for a crime against a person. The individuals currently under consideration are near their release date—priority is given to those with release dates in 2020.
— NCDHHS (@ncdhhs) April 13, 2020
The full release from the NCDPS:
In response to the unprecedented crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety today announced it is taking an extraordinary measure to help reduce the spread of the virus in prison facilities. The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice last week transitioned the first individuals who will continue to serve their sentence in the community.
“The department has been reviewing all options to protect public safety as well as our employees and those in the state’s custody,” Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks said. “Many of those options were implemented quickly, providing immediate impact, while others have required more preparation.”
In an effort to keep staff and those in our custody safe, DPS has taken numerous steps over the last several weeks to help reduce the spread of the virus into facilities. Some of the actions include:
• Suspending visitation, volunteers, work release, and other programs to limit the exposure to the public and avoiding mass gathering situations;
• Providing extra soap and disinfecting supplies and requiring additional cleaning regimens;
• Pre-entrance medical screenings for staff;
• Pre-intake medical screenings for new offenders and a 14-day quarantine period;
• Suspending acceptance of transfers of offenders from county jails for 14 days; and
• Dramatically reducing the movement of offenders within the prison system.
Despite these efforts, more than 35 offenders among six separate facilities have tested positive for COVID-19 so far, necessitating use of stronger measures. Twenty staff at 10 facilities have also self-reported positive test results for COVID-19.
By law, the Public Safety secretary has the authority to allow certain individuals to serve their sentence outside of a DPS prison facility, but under the supervision of community corrections officers and/or special operations officers.
Adult Correction is reviewing additional offenders for possible transition to the community to complete their sentence under supervision. All offenders under consideration must meet strict criteria and all legal requirements, such as victim notification in certain cases, before a transfer to the community is approved. The approximately 500 offenders being considered cannot have been convicted of a violent crime against a person and must fall within one of the following categories:
• Pregnant offenders
• Offenders age 65 and older with underlying health conditions
• Female offenders age 50 and older with health conditions and a release date in 2020
• Offenders age 65 and older with a release date in 2020
• Offenders already on home leave with a release date in 2020
• Offenders on work release with a release date in 2020
On Thursday, April 9, six offenders were transferred into the community. All of those six are females and are either pregnant or are 65 or older, and thus in a high-risk category as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In a separate effort to reduce the number of incarcerated persons in its facilities, the department has been awarding time credits, where appropriate and in accordance with its statutory authority. This allows some offenders to reduce their maximum sentence and be released to community upon completion of the minimum sentence. In March alone, more than 300 offenders originally scheduled for release in April, May or June, were transitioned to post-release supervision by completing their minimum sentence. Through this process, many individuals who were scheduled for release this spring or early summer have already been discharged or are on an expedited schedule for transition in the next few weeks.
A total of 2,200 offenders were released in March. In fact, since January of this year, over 6,900 individuals have been released from a DPS facility. This is an increase of 10% over the same period in 2019. In addition to the actions of DPS, the North Carolina Post-Release Supervision and Parole Commission, is also reviewing offenders under its authority for possible release. For example, over the past week, the commission has released more than a dozen pregnant females to community supervision.
“We do not take these new measures lightly. Our staff are working in accordance with CDC guidelines, while being mindful of adult risk management, as well as reentry best practices in order to identify and transition adult offenders into our communities in a safe and efficient manner,” said Tim Moose, Chief Deputy Secretary of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice.
“This is an ongoing process. We will continue to work diligently to monitor best practices and offender risk, while coordinating any future releases to community supervision, as well as adjusting to this ever-evolving situation to protect our staff, the incarcerated community and the community at large,” Moose added.
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