3,100 inmates will be released Friday, Justice Dept. says

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNN) – The Justice Department will free over 3,000 federal prison inmates on Friday under the “First Step Act.”

The measure aims to undo the tough-on-crime policies that disproportionately affect minorities and fill prisons with nonviolent offenders.

The people being released Friday are benefiting from “good time” credit changes associated with the law. Most aren’t in prison but in halfway houses or in home confinement.

Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said, “Nearly 250 inmates have been placed in the expanded compassionate release and home confinement programs. And starting today at prisons around the country nearly 3,100 inmates are being released from custody due to the increase in good time credits applied to reduce their sentences under the First Step Act.”

The first step act also matches people in prison to the programs and classes.

As an incentive to participate, prisoners earn 10 days of earned time credit for every 30 days of programming. These credits are used to exchange time in prison for more time in halfway houses, home confinement or supervised release, easing the re-entry process.

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