[anchpop]

Pay each inmate $10k for each day they're unable to leave prison past one week after the end of their sentence. Most inmates probably wouldn't mind staying a couple months longer if it means they get to leave with a million dollars in the bank, and it would correct the state's incentives.

[jacob2484]

And just would pay this? You and I the taxpayers.... so no thanks to this solution.

[totalZero]

All of these people should sue for false imprisonment.

How much would that cost you? And how much is a day of a free man's life worth to you?

This is a travesty and that sum of money is neither sufficient, nor unique to the GP's solution.

[vertex-four]

You the taxpayers are the people who would prefer these people stay in prison than release them. You took on the responsibility when you put in place a system to imprison them. You could always campaign for prison abolition if you don’t want the responsibility...

[nybble41]

> You the taxpayers are the people who would prefer these people stay in prison than release them.

That's a rather broad blanket statement bordering on collective punishment (which BTW is classified as a war crime by the UN). The status of taxpayer makes you a victim of the state, not necessarily someone with influence over its behavior and certainly not an ardent supporter of all its policies. The vast majority of the taxpayers had nothing to do with the situation and might well be opposed to keeping these people in prison if the facts were explained to them.

Perhaps the matter should be put to a general vote—those actually in favor of keeping the inmates in prison can split the cost of any wrongful-imprisonment suit in the event the state loses.

[vertex-four]

Luckily I’m not at war with anyone. The vast majority of the population do approve of the prison system though, and shrugging off responsibility for what that means seems perverse.

[km3r]

And yet, the software may save more than a million dollars in admin costs. And as soon as the most of the bug are worked out, it can operate less of those payouts. Don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

[mewpmewp2]

I don't understand how people here fail to see that completely. Traffic accidents also happen, doesn't mean we should abolish vehicles or allow only slow moving armored vehicles on the road.

[recursive]

Well, they could just be released then...