Ok, so what's being said is that a correctional facility is being closed and they are releasing 5500 inmates or ex inmates out onto the street. There is no way in hell that all of those inmates housed in that prison have the same CR ( conditional release date) or being pardoned for their crimes. Just because the jail is closing dosen't mean that all those incarerated in it are going to be released. It may be a fact that a percentage of them will but not all. The rest will be transfered to general confinment facilities to serve out the rest of their sentence. I don't know for sure without looking at the article, maybe the state is going to release 5500 inmates who meet the specific requirements that the state imposes. As for the jail closing, that sucks, local revenue is lost along with local residents having to spend more money to either relocate or drive to work. Nobody likes to have jails closed especially if it's your employment. In some peoples mind ( such as elected officals or upper manangement within the states beurocracy) they believe thay have a cloke of invincibility thats around them to make such a decision which effects the lives of others, hell they live in the capital where there are armed guards at the door for their protection. They have no idea what it is like to live or be around some of the criminals they release. I feel sorry for the employee's who worked there and the town who will loose money.