Enlarge / Only a few individuals need to spend a single second longer than they must in a spot like this. (credit score: txking | Getty Pictures)

A failure to replace important jail administration software program has saved a whole bunch of incarcerated individuals in Arizona behind bars longer than they need to be, in response to a whistleblower report.

Workers for the Arizona Division of Corrections have recognized in regards to the bug since 2019, Phoenix-based NPR affiliate KJZZ reported. The flaw follows a change to state legislation that the software program merely can not deal with and has not been up to date to take care of.

Arizona has one of many highest imprisonment charges within the nation, with drug possession convictions being one of many highest drivers behind the numbers. An modification (PDF) to Arizona state legislation in June 2019 created a mechanism by way of which inmates convicted of sure nonviolent drug offenses can earn credit towards early launch. Eligible inmates who full a program resembling a GED equal or substance abuse therapy whereas imprisoned can earn three days’ credit score for each seven days served and shorten the size of time they spend behind bars to 70 % of their assigned sentence.