The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said that between 180 and 200 inmates were wrongfully released last week after a glitch in the computer system that lasted hours on Thursday, March 24.
Andy Kahan, a Houston Crime Stoppers official, explained that the issue, which persisted until March 26, made approving or rejecting charges against newly detained individuals inaccurate.
Those released, estimated to be around 300 people according to some sources, were mainly accused of minor offenses except for a dozen with a violent criminal history.
“There’s no ankles monitors, there’s no GPS, there’s no distance requirement, and we don’t know who these offenders are,” Kahan added, describing the incident as “embarrassing.”
The District Attorney sent a letter to law enforcement agencies asking that all released criminals get re-detained citing the threats the incident posed to public safety.
