Watch CBS News

More Inmates Released Early From Jefferson County Detention Facility

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Jefferson County Sheriff's Office released 23 inmates early on Wednesday. It happened as part of the Early Release Program.

The sheriff's office says because of $5.5 million in budget cuts, they had to close part of the jail and reduce their staff.

jefferson county sheriff jail detention facility generic
(credit: CBS)

"When the jail population exceeds operational capacity by 2%, steps must be implemented to reduce the population to manageable levels," officials stated in a news release on Wednesday.

As the jail is overcrowded, they release qualifying inmates who have served at least 50% of their sentence.

Inmates first started being released in January. Some of the inmates released early then were serving sentences for aggravated motor vehicle theft, DUI and reckless driving.

LINK: Early Release Information

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.