anyone following this story about the lifers getting out of jail

Gosh they seem like such nice guys too. Let's see someone killed a cop during a traffic stop and here's a nice one raped a woman and then hung out in her home drinking her beer and smoking her cigarettes.

nice

It is my understanding that our gov said she would not permit this. If her position IS this, I commend her.

Anyone know more?

I used to be a Parole Officer in Wake county (years ago).

The concept of "Gain Time" is baffling to most folks. It used to be (I'm not current on the laws) that an inmate who behaved basically earned two days for each day served. That's just for breathing and not starting fights, smuggling drugs, etc.

Now, if said inmate has any motivation at all, he or she will try to qualify for duties inside the prison. That might qualify them for #2 gain time which is 1.5 days earned for each day served.

Likewise, if the inmate qualified for work release (working outside the prison facility) they could qualify for #3 gain time which earned them 2 days for each day served.

So, by not acting like a total a-hole, the inmate could accumulate enough days such that they "served" a 10 year sentence in 2 years.

That and basically NC was way over prison capacity and paroled people like crazy. Back in 1990, my job description was based on a projected caseload of 60 parolees. When i resigned my position, I had 135 warm bodies to account for.

So, to hold people longer the state needs more space (or to quit locking people up for minor drug offenses), and that starts with the Legislature.