Lawmakers vote to end early prison release
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- State lawmakers have given final approval to a Republican bill that would end former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle's early prison release program.
The Assembly passed the measure 68-29. The Senate passed it last month. The legislation now goes to Republican Gov. Scott Walker for his signature. Walker supports doing away with the program.
Doyle introduced early release in his last state budget. The program allows well-behaved inmates to move onto extended supervision sooner to alleviate prison crowding and save money. About 500 inmates have been released through the program between October 2009 and this past March.
Republicans say the program endangers the public and hasn't delivered the promised savings. Democrats say it gives inmates an incentive to behave and savings are difficult to track across the state prison system.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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