Staff Reports
To mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, Andy Beshear, the Democratic Governor of Kentucky, instituted a strategy involving the early release of specific inmates. As part of this strategy, "medically vulnerable" inmates and those with less than five years remaining on their sentences would have their sentences commuted. The governor emphasized that providing these individuals with a second opportunity and a better life was the objective.
Dem Governor Gets Backlash After Report Shows Whopping 70% of Criminals Released for COVID Reoffended https://t.co/zM9QlUhFrA
— Poppins (@Wertz4Wertz) November 2, 2023
The majority of those released, according to a report by the Kentucky Department of Information and Technology Service, subsequently committed additional offenses. Around 70% of the formerly incarcerated individuals resumed their criminal activities, with 50% perpetrating felonies within a span of one year. Analyzing datasets pertaining to inmates released in April and August of 2020, the report discovered alarming recidivism rates.
Out of the total cases presented for the group that was released in April, 51% were new felonies and 14% were new misdemeanors. In a similar vein, out of the cases examined in the August publication, 15% led to the emergence of fresh misdemeanors and 54% to fresh felonies. The majority of the offenses committed were property or drug-related felonies, while misdemeanors involved motor vehicle, public order, or property-related transgressions.
Notwithstanding these disconcerting discoveries, Governor Beshear justified his decision as rational. His request for a reexamination of the report may indicate that he is unwilling to concede the complete failure of his early release strategy.
As Kentucky grapples with the repercussions of these ineffectual measures, it is imperative to reevaluate the policies that were enacted throughout the pandemic and prioritize public safety over providing perpetrators with second chances.
