Ruvim writes "A Michigan State audit shows a software glitch let some prisoners get out early. From the article: 'The audit report shows errors in the release dates of 23 prisoners between October 2003 and March 2005. Some were let out early, while others were let out late... A flaw in computer programming caused State jails to release 8 prisoners anywhere from 39-161 days early, prisoners who were doing time for everything from embezzlement and drugs to bad check writing.'"Ads_xl=0;Ads_yl=0;Ads_xp='';Ads_yp='';Ads_xp1='';Ads_yp1='';Ads_par='';Ads_cnturl='';Ads_prf='page=article';Ads_channels='RON_P6_IMU';Ads_wrd='programming,bug';Ads_kid=0;Ads_bid=0;Ads_sec=0; Minor Computer Flaw Frees State Prisoners Log in/Create an Account | Top | 213 comments | Search Discussion Display Options Threshold: -1: 213 comments 0: 207 comments 1: 160 comments 2: 102 comments 3: 28 comments 4: 13 comments 5: 4 comments Flat Nested No Comments Threaded Oldest First Newest First Highest Scores First Oldest First (Ignore Threads) Newest First (Ignore Threads) The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. Gracious Me! (Score:5, Insightful) by geomon (78680) on Sunday October 23, @03:42PM (#13859073) (http://www.cato.org/ | Last Journal: Sunday April 17, @02:12AM) A whole 39 days early? Shit! They ought to hunt that bastard down and horsewhip them.I guess I don't see the 'crisis' in this other than these people were low-level, non-violent offenders. If a software glitch had let a Ted Bundy out for another killing spree, I would probably be more concerned.Fact is, we have WAAAAAY too many people in jail as it is. If we were to only charge and incarcerate those who pose a safety risk to the rest of society then you could probably monitor the entire population in half as many facilities with 1/3 of the correctional officers we have today.The US incarcerates people largely to punish them for stuff they do to themselves. If someone is strung out on meth or heroin, they are only a problem to me if they steal something to support their habit. Considering the fact that theft is already a crime, I can't see how locking up people who are casual users and functioning addicts helps society at all.These prison systems are getting too complex, too expensive, and are locking too many people away for "their own good".Rep. Rick Jones: " 8 people is too many. I understand the department found another 15, that's too many, even 1 is too many."Fuck that. Notice he shed no tears for the few that were held too long? I'm glad some of them got out early. The only sad thing in this story is that somebody got held longer than they should have. [ Reply to This Re:Gracious Me! (Score:5, Insightful) by Seumas (6865) on Sunday October 23, @03:47PM (#13859106) The US incarcerates people largely to punish them for stuff they do to themselves. If someone is strung out on meth or heroin, they are only a problem to me if they steal something to support their habit. Considering the fact that theft is already a crime, I can't see how locking up people who are casual users and functioning addicts helps society at all.These prison systems are getting too complex, too expensive, and are locking too many people away for "their own good".It's essentially the Catholic Justice System. You're locked away not so much because of offenses you commit that harm other people, but for offenses that upset god and baby jesus and mother mary and all that jazz. How else do you explain laws intended to punish 18 year olds having sex with same-sex 15 year olds with 17 years in prison, but punish 18 year olds having sex with female 15 year olds with 15 months in prison? It's all about morality and just because something is considered "immoral" by many doesn't make it harmful to anyone. [ Reply to This | Parent Re:Gracious Me! (Score:4, Insightful) by geomon (78680) on Sunday October 23, @03:53PM (#13859158) (http://www.cato.org/ | Last Journal: Sunday April 17, @02:12AM) It's essentially the Catholic Justice System.I think the Baptists would take exception at your excluding them from this party. They like controlling people too.You're locked away not so much because of offenses you commit that harm other people, but for offenses that upset god and baby jesus and mother mary and all that jazz.And it is only getting worse. Every year some dumbass politician screws the whole world up with just six simple words: "There ought to be a law!"How else do you explain laws intended to punish 18 year olds having sex with same-sex 15 year olds with 17 years in prison, but punish 18 year olds having sex with female 15 year olds with 15 months in prison?You can't. Neither can you rationalize incarcerating a person who does drugs, keeps their job, pays their taxes, and doesn't commit any other criminal offense. They *try* to rationalize it by claiming that "they need treatment" as though the criminal justice system is any substitute for medical therapy.It's all about morality and just because something is considered "immoral" by many doesn't make it harmful to anyone.Aye. That about sums it up. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Gracious Me! by PsiPsiStar (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:06PMRe:Gracious Me! by heavy snowfall (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:09PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Re:Gracious Me! (Score:5, Insightful) by Jesus_666 (702802) on Sunday October 23, @05:08PM (#13859623) There' one flaw in that argument: If $DRUG was legal, people wouldn't need to give their money to some shady dealer who in turn gives his money to a drug syndicate. The FDA would make sure that there are certain standards it has to meet and the legal system would make sure that the huge corporations owning the market (if $DRUG === "marijuana" that would most probably be the tobacco companies) would stay mostly clean. Shady people would make less money because they couldn't compete with the mass production that the big corporations would do - and the prices associated with it. Especially if production and/or sale are coupled to strong regulation.Yes, most drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) are detrimental to one's time/revenue ratio, which is a reason to legislate against them. But "if people buy this stuff the money goes to bad people" is not, because the money only goes to bad people because no one else can sell the stuff. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Gracious Me! by umeboshi (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @06:56PMRe:Gracious Me! by Ithika (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @08:35PMRe:Gracious Me! by CommiePuddin (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @10:47PMRe:Gracious Me! by God'sDuck (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @10:59PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:11PMRe:Gracious Me! by DavidTC (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @06:00PMRe:Gracious Me! by heavy snowfall (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:00PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:14PMRe:Gracious Me! by heavy snowfall (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:26PMWell, sorta... by modecx (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @07:35PMRe:Well, sorta... by brunson (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @09:08PMRe:Well, sorta... by modecx (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @10:08PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:39PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Gracious Me! by Peter La Casse (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:28PMRe:Gracious Me! by asdfghjklqwertyuiop (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:28PMRe:Gracious Me! by heavy snowfall (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @06:31PMRe:Gracious Me! by asdfghjklqwertyuiop (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:47PMRe:Gracious Me! by asdfghjklqwertyuiop (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @09:32PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Gracious Me! by commodoresloat (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:33PMRe:Gracious Me! by Dachannien (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:33PMRe:Gracious Me! by The Spoonman (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @05:55PMRe:Gracious Me! by Seumas (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @08:25PM2 replies beneath your current threshold.Re:Gracious Me! by man_eleven (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @06:07PMRe:Gracious Me! by Chrononium (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @08:58PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Gracious Me! by Scaba (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @11:41PMRe:Gracious Me! by pete-classic (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @11:52PMRe:Gracious Me! by HoboMaster (Score:1) Monday October 24, @12:04AMRe:Gracious Me! by mi (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @03:50PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:00PMRe:Gracious Me! by Dwonis (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:28PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:52PMRe:Gracious Me! by PsiPsiStar (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:13PMThen deterrence doesn't work. by hackwrench (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:37PMRe:Gracious Me! by heavy snowfall (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:55PMRe:Gracious Me! by fbjon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:03PMRe:Gracious Me! by Jesus_666 (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @05:10PMRe:Gracious Me! by Martin Blank (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @06:03PMRe:Gracious Me! by mi (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @11:02PMRe:Gracious Me! by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @03:51PMRe:Gracious Me! by Seumas (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @03:52PMRe:Gracious Me! by Eunuchswear (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:32PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Gracious Me! by KDR_11k (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:58PMRe:Gracious Me! by RobertLTux (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @06:04PMRe:Gracious Me! by drsquare (Score:1) Monday October 24, @12:54AMRe:Gracious Me! by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @03:51PMRe:Gracious Me! by Lumpy (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @03:59PMRe:Gracious Me! by ScentCone (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:12PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Gracious Me! by Jesus IS the Devil (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:17PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:36PMRe:Gracious Me! by Agarax (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:50PMRe:Gracious Me! by Jesus_666 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:26PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:28PMRe:Gracious Me! by Jesus IS the Devil (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:34PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:44PMRe:Gracious Me! by CastrTroy (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:54PMRe:Gracious Me! by LaughingCoder (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @04:26PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @04:47PMRe:Gracious Me! by PatHMV (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @09:38PMRe:Gracious Me! by Fnkmaster (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @08:36PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Gracious Me! by Ironsides (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @04:35PMRe:Gracious Me! by geomon (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:40PMRe:Gracious Me! by Thing 1 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @06:03PMRe:Gracious Me! by hackwrench (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:26PMdon't be sad--they'll sue by FlippyTheSkillsaw (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:30PMRe:Gracious Me! by sd_diamond (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @06:23PMRe:Gracious Me! by MirrororriM (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @10:26PM3 replies beneath your current threshold. If I had to code such thing... (Score:3, Funny) by mi (197448) <mi+slashdot@aldan.algebra.com> on Sunday October 23, @03:42PM (#13859078) I too would be tempted to, say, compare a hash of the prisoner's name with that of mine... [ Reply to This Consolation. (Score:4, Funny) by Seumas (6865) on Sunday October 23, @03:43PM (#13859081) On the bright side, they'll be getting their free subsidized digital television converter boxes any day now. Welcome to freedom, gentlemen! [ Reply to This It must have been Linux (Score:4, Funny) by Omnieiunium (872399) <canadiancanuck@@@gmail...com> on Sunday October 23, @03:46PM (#13859104) (http://luke.canrg.com/blog/ | Last Journal: Wednesday October 05, @12:07AM) because it is free!!!!I am sorry. Very sorry. [ Reply to ThisRe:It must have been Linux by commodoresloat (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:42PM Minor Flaw? (Score:4, Insightful) by futurekill (745161) <jcandali@g[ ]l.com ['mai' in gap]> on Sunday October 23, @03:47PM (#13859107) What the hell is considered a major flaw? [ Reply to ThisWhen the nuke password... by a_greer2005 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:03PMRe:When the nuke password... by SheeEttin (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:46PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.For example by aepervius (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:13PMRe:Minor Flaw? by nametaken (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @04:32PMRe:Minor Flaw? by futurekill (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:14PMRe:Minor Flaw? by utexaspunk (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:20PMRe:Minor Flaw? by slackmaster2000 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @11:38PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Minor Flaw? by -kertrats- (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:56PMRe:Minor Flaw? by Guppy06 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:52PMRe:Minor Flaw? by KylePflug (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @11:11PMRe:Minor Flaw? by suwain_2 (Score:2) Monday October 24, @12:02AM3 replies beneath your current threshold. Minor glitch ? (Score:4, Insightful) by zappepcs (820751) on Sunday October 23, @03:48PM (#13859115) (http://www.asomaworld.net/zinn | Last Journal: Tuesday October 04, @08:28PM) I hope the software is run on Windows... If my bank was off by that much even once, I'd get a new bank!I'm not saying that mistakes don't happen, but that's bad! Fortunately no one like John Wayne Gayce was let out mistakenly.What are the odds that the 'software glitch' has a SSN and enjoys fast food? [ Reply to ThisRe:Minor glitch ? by TheGavster (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @04:00PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Minor glitch ? by zappepcs (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:08PMRe:Minor glitch ? by DaoudaW (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @11:49PMRe:Minor glitch ? by climbon321 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:49PMRe:Minor glitch ? by Jesus_666 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:31PMRe:Minor glitch ? by jrockway (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @06:03PMRe:Minor glitch ? by Jesus_666 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @06:16PMRe:Minor glitch ? by Barbarian (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:06PMRe:Minor glitch ? by jamstar7 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @07:49PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. now if only..... (Score:3, Funny) by dclaw (593370) * on Sunday October 23, @03:49PM (#13859128) they would end my probation early! [ Reply to ThisRe:now if only..... by Muhammar (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:03PM Well... (Score:3, Interesting) by Chickenofbristol55 (884806) on Sunday October 23, @03:50PM (#13859132) Even though it was only a month early, who is to say this "minor.... ahem" computer glitch couldn't let people go years earlier than planned. Also, shouldn't jails use both computer and physical data to make absolutely sure they are doing things properly? I know someone is going to comment to this saying that I'm wrong and that it would take too much space for all those filing cabinets, but I say that this is a perfect example of how I'm right. If they had another medium to check their data, this minor computer glitch could have been found and fixed, with no mess-ups. [ Reply to ThisRe:Well... by mwaggs_jd (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:00PMRe:Well... by Xarius (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:07PMRe:Well... by Chickenofbristol55 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:10PMStorage Issues by buckhead_buddy (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:12PMRe:Well... by HermanAB (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:58PM2 replies beneath your current threshold. Obligatory Remix (Score:4, Funny) by BandwidthHog (257320) <whatwouldbryando@ironicallyenough.com> on Sunday October 23, @03:50PM (#13859133) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelifeofbryan/ | Last Journal: Sunday October 02, @01:05PM) Microsoft: Minor Computer Flaws Imprison Free States [ Reply to ThisRe:Obligatory Remix by SeaFox (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @07:45PM Released prisoners late? (Score:4, Interesting) by totallygeek (263191) on Sunday October 23, @03:50PM (#13859140) (http://www.vle.org/vle) Uh, if I were doing time, you better believe I would be aware of my official release date! [ Reply to ThisRe:Released prisoners late? by daspriest (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:09PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Released prisoners late? by Anonymous Coward (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @04:17PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. More technical information? (Score:2) by CyricZ (887944) on Sunday October 23, @03:52PM (#13859151) Can anyone provide more technical information regarding this flaw? What sort of hardware were these systems running on? What operating system(s)? Who wrote the software itself, what language was it written in, and what was the exact cause of the flaw? Was it a database flaw? If so, which database product was it?Indeed, we need more technical details. [ Reply to ThisRe:More technical information? by pboulang (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:04PMRe:More technical information? by Anonymous Coward (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:14PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Summary of PDF someone linked (Score:4, Informative) by xenotrout (680453) on Sunday October 23, @04:44PM (#13859467) (http://xenotrout.com/ | Last Journal: Wednesday July 07, @11:28AM) The problem seems to be more than software or hardware. A state law created a sentence-length committee or ruleset that was not fully communicated to the Department of Corrections (DOC). The DOC tried to interpret the information they had and came up with a manual for calculating a prisoner's release date. This manual includes two non-automated methods of calculating a simple release date, and some informal rules for calculating release dates in general. The DOC later wrote (or contracted out the writing of) the program that automatically calculates release dates.The audit being reported compared the computer computation with the two non-automated methods and found that none of the three gave the same results. Not only was the software inconsistant with the manual, but the manual was self-inconsistant. The software may have actually used the right calculation, but the audit seemed unable to determine what the right calculation was (because of the confusing state law mentioned earlier). [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Summary of PDF someone linked by CyricZ (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:42PMRe:Summary of PDF someone linked by jrockway (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @06:14PM2 replies beneath your current threshold. Programmer was obviously just having some fun with (Score:2, Funny) by Corun (899780) on Sunday October 23, @03:54PM (#13859162) if((rand() % 2) == 0) sentence -= (rand() % 123 + 39);Either that or memory corruption.I'd bet on the former :-D [ Reply to ThisRe:Programmer was obviously just having some fun w by xquark (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @06:29PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. The opposite happened In Dallas TX (Score:5, Interesting) by billsoxs (637329) on Sunday October 23, @03:55PM (#13859173) About 9 months ago, The Dallas (county) Sheriff's office installed a new prisoner tracking program and LOST some of the prisoners. No, they did not let them out, they were still in jail but they could not find them. (Even the prisoner's lawyers could not find them!) Here is an example: http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/dn/latestnews/stor ies/052905dnmetjailstuck.f2f1f79c.html [dallasnews.com] [ Reply to ThisRe:The opposite happened In Dallas TX by billsoxs (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:10PMRe:The opposite happened In Dallas TX by Eunuchswear (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:39PMRe:The opposite happened In Dallas TX by Anonymous Coward (Score:3) Sunday October 23, @05:43PMRe:The opposite happened In Dallas TX by ElectroBot (Score:1) Monday October 24, @12:08AM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:The opposite happened In Dallas TX by can56 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @10:47PM Let out late... (Score:3, Insightful) by sholden (12227) on Sunday October 23, @03:59PM (#13859198) (http://sam.holden.id.au/) I'd be more worried about those that got let out late. Surely that's ground for a lawsuit and some damages. Not to mention ciminal charges against those that illegally kept people in prison. [ Reply to This1 reply beneath your current threshold. Human rights issues (Score:3, Insightful) by infolib (618234) on Sunday October 23, @04:10PM (#13859265) The real victims in this case are the ones who were kept longer in jail without conviction. It's quite scary that no one at WLNS apparently cares about them. A toast to the future of the american justice system. I hope it has one. [ Reply to This Got to love the header (Score:1) by DesiVideoGamer (863325) on Sunday October 23, @04:16PM (#13859293) Computer Glitch Lets Prisoners Out Earlyundefined NaN, NaN, NaN:NaN AMI guess the News Channel's website has a few glitches of its own. [ Reply to This Is this better or worse than the old way (Score:1) by davidwr (791652) on Sunday October 23, @04:19PM (#13859314) (Last Journal: Thursday October 06, @07:18PM) Manual systems are vulnerable to errors also. After all, court clerks and jail paper-pushers are only human.What I want to know is:Do we know about all of the errors the old system had? If so, what types did it have and how often?Do we know about all of the errors the NEW system has? If so, what types does it have and how often?The ultimate goal is to be error-free. A good interim goal is to recognize your errors within a reasonable amount of time, fix them, and if it's cost-effective take steps to prevent future errors. BTW anything that keeps people in jail for extra time has a cost of {very big lawsuit} to NOT fix. But letting 1% of people out 98% into their sentence instead of when it's 100% complete may or may not be worth fixing, particularly for inmates unlikely to commit new crimes before their original sentence expiration. [ Reply to This I had always believed (Score:1) by Qa1 (592969) on Sunday October 23, @04:31PM (#13859368) that technology sets us free ;) [ Reply to This IANAL So Questions For Those Who Know (Score:2) by Comatose51 (687974) on Sunday October 23, @04:42PM (#13859447) So can someone please explain to me why "bad check writing" can land you in jail? This is not a rhetorical question, I seriously want to know. Is it considered fraud? It sounds a bit like debtors' jail, which is outlawed in this country, right? [ Reply to ThisRe:IANAL So Questions For Those Who Know by tomstdenis (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @04:54PMRe:IANAL So Questions For Those Who Know by drooling-dog (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @05:26PMRe:IANAL So Questions For Those Who Know by King_TJ (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @04:56PMRe:IANAL So Questions For Those Who Know by Vegeta99 (Score:2) Sunday October 23, @06:47PMRe:IANAL So Questions For Those Who Know by raoul666 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:04PMRe:IANAL So Questions For Those Who Know by Carrot007 (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @05:39PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Stats (Score:1) by MacGod (320762) on Sunday October 23, @04:43PM (#13859457) Hey, I took Stats in my undergrad! If some prisoners were let out early, and other let out late, then it should all average out to zero! So really, the software works just fine in the aggregate! Typical Slashdot, can't see the forest for the trees! [ Reply to This1 reply beneath your current threshold. why do description of the "glitch" (Score:1) by vep3run (925124) on Sunday October 23, @04:47PM (#13859481) This is the sort of article I always find disturbing... We found a minor problem but take our word for it - its no big deal. Why wouldn't this article explicitly what the flaw was that allowed this to occur - this isn't any sort of system security issue. And then to compound it by say "but it wasn't any murderers" - why - sheer luck?"They say they've already taken steps to correct the computer glitch and will continue to work until the problem is taken care of." Okay - maybe some of you slashdotters are smarter on this than me, but how long can it take to correct a date calculation routine? Unless maybe you don't have one of the dates you need???? [ Reply to ThisRe:why do description of the "glitch" by jlarocco (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @07:41PMRe:why do description of the "glitch" by vep3run (Score:1) Sunday October 23, @09:08PM