Due to overcrowded prisons and new attitudes toward long prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, a large number of offenders are receiving early release from incarceration. For example, about...

Due to overcrowded prisons and new attitudes toward long prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, a large number of offenders are receiving early release from incarceration. For example, about 1,000 inmates are released from federal prison each week, and more than 10,000 a week from state prisons. Sometimes a large number of inmates are released at once as when the Federal Sentencing Commission reduced the sentences of nonviolent drug offenders in November 2015, and released more than 6,000 federal prisoners. Another 46,000 federal inmates are being reviewed for early release. Also, in 2015, California reformed its “three-strikes” sentencing laws and released 3,000 inmates. These releases raise two issues. First, does early release of thousands of inmates pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety? Second, these releases create strain on the country’s halfway houses and parole officers. Every released inmate must have a place to stay and a parole officer to supervise him or her. There are few vacancies at halfway houses and parole officers already have high caseloads. Do you think the public is willing to spend more tax money to ease the strain?