New York state prisons will release some inmates early because the system does not have enough corrections officers, weeks after the state fired more than 2,000 guards who went on strike over poor wor

With New York facing a staffing shortage crisis in its prisons, the state’s solution to help ensure an “appropriate balance” between the safety of corrections officers and the public is to release inmates early.

Facing a severe staffing shortage worsened by a recent strike and mass firings, New York will begin granting early release to certain inmates, according to state corrections officials. Commissioner Daniel Martuscello III has directed prison leaders to identify eligible individuals for supervised transition into residential programs.