Sentencing Error Information

In 2015, there was a discovery of a long-standing sentencing computation issue that resulted in a narrow subset of inmates being given excessive “good time (pdf)” and leaving prison early. Subsequently, case reviews were completed for all inmate sentences potentially affected and a software fix to the computation issue was implemented in 2016.

• Release Information
• Documentation
• Frequently Asked Questions

Release Information

Releases between December 17, 2011 – December 17, 2015.

Potential Sentence Recalculated Inmate Releases (pdf) Any inmate released with a flat-time enhancement/mandatory count.	1,530
Not Impacted After review, inmate never owed time and no additional review is necessary.	399
Compliant after release After review, inmate is eligible for day-for-day credit for time spent in community (Roach Decision (pdf)) and no longer owes time. No additional review.	1015
Case reviews not completed	00

Total identified for return to confinement After review, inmate owes time on his/her sentence and an arrest plan was initiated.	116
Alleged crime within window After review, inmate's criminal history record shows a gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor or felony charge/arrest during the window of time he/she would have otherwise been in prison. (Committed Alleged Crime Within Window List (pdf).) Currently Apprehended Currently confined – Not serving enhancement Time owed completed Warrant No time owed after review 12 4 13 1	30
Abscond within window Any inmate with an arrest review that includes a supervision violation for abscond or failure to report with a warrant issued during his/her window of time between actual release and new calculated release date. Currently Apprehended Currently confined – Not serving enhancement Time owed completed Warrant No time owed after review 23 12 11 3 1	50
Still owe time Any inmate who still owes time and has been identified for arrest, but the arrest review does not show a conviction or violation in the window. Currently Apprehended Currently confined – Not serving enhancement Time owed completed Warrant No time owed after review 8 3 20   2	33
Warrant cancelled after arrest plan Any active warrant was cancelled because the person earned Roach credits for day-for-day time in the community prior to arrest. Currently Apprehended Currently confined – Not serving enhancement Time owed completed Warrant No time owed after review     3	3

Furloughs All releases granted a furlough (pdf).	5

Days recalculated Average number of days by which the release date was inaccurate.	59

Documentation

Information will be posted to this page as it becomes available.

• Releases of Inmates 2002-2011 with Review Status Listed (pdf) (posted 6/6/16)
• PRESS RELEASE: Department of Corrections Responds to Investigative Report on Sentencing Error (posted 2/25/16)
• Senate Subpoena Process Flowchart (pdf) (posted 2/10/16)
• IT Chronology (pdf) (posted 2/5/16; updated 2/8/16)
• Email — 2002 (pdf) (posted 2/5/16)
• Washington State Senate Memo: First Installment of Documents (pdf) (posted 2/1/16)
• Sentencing Recalculation Data Presentation – January 26, 2016 (pdf) (posted 1/26/16)
• DOC Releases All Inmate Names (pdf) (posted 1/25/16)
• Releases of Inmates July 2002 – December 2011 Potentially Affected by Sentencing Error (pdf) (posted 1/25/16; updated 5/27/16)
• Public Disclosure Requests and Status (pdf) (posted 2/5/16)
• Quality Assurance Process Map (pdf) (posted 1/25/16)
• Senate Law & Justice/Senate Accountability and Reform Committees Presentations
  • DOC Management Systems and Processes – January 18, 2016 (pdf) (posted 1/19/16)
  • Department Culture, Audit, Ethics, and Quality Assurance – January 18, 2016 (pdf) (posted 1/19/16)
• Case Reviews Completed List (pdf) (posted 1/14/16; updated 3/8/16)
• Sentence Calculation Example Video (posted 1/13/16)
• Senate Law & Justice Committee Presentation – January 11, 2016 (pdf) (posted 1/12/16)
• Sentenced Recalculated Inmates Statistics
  • 3/8/2016 (pdf) |2/4/2016 (pdf) |2/1/2016 (pdf) |1/28/2016 (pdf) |1/25/2016 (pdf) | 1/21/2016 (pdf) |1/19/2016 (pdf) | 1/14/2016 (pdf) | 1/8/2016 (pdf)
• Committed Alleged Crime Within Window List (pdf) (posted 1/8/16; updated 1/25/16)
• Apprehended List (pdf) (posted 1/8/16; updated 1/21/16)
• DOC Staff Memo: OMNI Solution (pdf) (posted 1/5/16)
• Process and Roles Map – Updated (pdf) (posted 12/29/15; updated 1/25/16)
• DOC Staff Memo: Sentence Recalculated Inmate Arrest and Notification Protocols (pdf) (posted 12/31/15)
• Process Maps for Placement in Prison, Work Release or Jails (pdf) (posted 12/31/15)
• Organizational Charts (posted 12/31/15)
  • 12/1/2015 (pdf) | 8/17/2015 (pdf) | 3/9/2015 (pdf) | 10/16/2014 (pdf) | 10/1/2013 (pdf) | 7/23/2012 (pdf) |
    3/29/2012 (pdf) | 2/14/2012 (pdf) | 9/16/2011 (pdf) | 8/1/2011 (pdf) | 2/8/2011 (pdf) | 1/7/2011 (pdf)
• PRESS RELEASE: Corrections Secretary Contacts Victim's Mother (pdf) (posted 12/31/15)
• Emails – December 2012 (pdf) (posted 12/30/15)
• Explanation of Roach Decision (pdf) (posted 12/29/15)
• Furlough Part 1 – Memo (pdf) (posted 12/29/15)
• Furlough Part 2 – Protocol Process (pdf) (posted 12/29/15)
• PRESS RELEASE: Corrections Secretary Offers Apology (pdf) (posted 12/28/15)
• Information for Families (pdf) (posted 12/24/15)
• Information for Inmates (pdf) (posted 12/24/15)
• Information for Callers (pdf) (posted 12/24/15)
• "Good Time" Compliance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (pdf) (posted 12/22/15)
• "Good Time" Compliance Timeline (pdf) (posted 12/22/15; updated 2/5/16)
• What is sequencing? (pdf) (posted 12/22/15, updated 1/9/16)
• PRESS RELEASE: Governor Inslee announces immediate actions to fix 13-year-old sentencing errors discovered at state prisons (posted 12/22/15)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)