Report: Some federal prisoners held longer than sentence called for

The federal prison system has a big problem with a small number, reported Fusion.

Between the years of 2009 and 2014, the Bureau of Prisons released 461,966 individuals back into society. But 1% of these individuals were released later than their sentences called for, found a BOP Inspector’s General review released this week.

That adds up to a total of 4,183 people held past their release dates. These people are “deprived of their freedom without just cause during the days they are over-serving,” reads the report. Further, the report notes that “when untimely late releases occur, the harm to the inmate can be significant and irreparable.”

“There were no ifs, ands or buts about it. It was basic arithmetic and somehow, they made a mathematical mistake,” Attorney Steve Meshbesher told Fusion.

Troubling as his case is, the report found, it is an extreme outlier. Of all the cases reviewed, only 152 cases—including a couple who were held over a year too long—were attributed to staffing errors.

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