SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - An ABC 4 taking action story about releasing prisoners early to balance Utah's budget.
Stephanie Duke fears it could lead to her rapist, Travis Wood getting out too soon.
Department of Corrections Spokesman Steve Gerhke says the decision would be made on a case by case basis.
"Are these people that they're going to let out...end up right back in the system again?" asked Duke.
She doesn't understand why lawmakers would let prisoners out early to balance the budget.
She fears another woman could fall victim to a prisoner who has not had enough time to rehabilitate before reentering society.
"What kind of people will be getting out and have they thought about long term?" asked Duke.
Taking action for Stephanie ABC 4 reporter Noah Bond brought her questions to Gerhke.
"People with a parole date coming up, they would not automatically be put in the community, but their chances of getting out would be a lot greater?" asked ABC 4's Noah Bond. "That's correct yes," replied Gerhke.
The Utah State Prison is already at maximum capacity with about 6,800 inmates.
The Board of Pardons and Parole would be forced to make even more difficult choices about who to release too soon.
This problem is partially surfacing because of tight state regulation. Utah's constitution requires lawmakers to balance the budget. Cuts must be made.
"I can't imagine just this one person getting out on parole and the effect its going to have on my family an the effect he's going to have on society let alone 850 people," said Duke.
Lawmakers say they had to pass a baseline budget, which included about $320 million in cuts. The question now is whether at least $16.3 million in cuts to the Department of Corrections should remain in place.
They will result in early releases beginning in July. The cuts would also include 125 Department of Corrections layoffs.
