Apr 16, 2020 2 min read

The state Department of Corrections is beginning to release inmates who are eligible for a temporary reprieve of their sentences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a news conference via telephone, corrections Secretary John Wetzel said about seven inmates were due to be released from state facilities Wednesday.

Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the DOC put the reprieve program in place April 10. The pool of eligible inmates, which could be 1,500 to 1,800 across the state, includes those who have been deemed nonviolent and would otherwise be eligible for release within the next nine months.

Wetzel said the DOC will provide information about which inmates are being released and the county of conviction on the DOC website.

According to Wetzel, it is not likely that everyone in the pool will be released, and they will still have to serve the remainder of their sentence after the coronavirus crisis.

“What that looks like, we’re trying to determine,” Wetzel said.

While it begins the release process to stop the spread of the virus, the DOC said 17 inmates tested positive at SCI-Phoenix, the only state facility to have inmate cases. Twenty-three prison employees have tested positive throughout the state. According to the DOC, SCI-Fayette has had three employees test positive and five test negative.

At SCI-Greene, there have been no positive cases among employees, and five have tested negative. One inmate tested negative, as well.