Furloughs

Origins of Furlough Programs

The concept and goals of a prison furlough were relatively simple and straightforward. The United States seemed to be facing a crisis in the 1960s and 1970s, as incarceration rates started an upward climb that has yet to be reversed. In 1970, approximately 200,000 people were incarcerated in the United States; today, that number is more than 2.2 million. Looking for a way to relieve some of the pressure of the increase in the prison population, states began experimenting with furlough programs in the 1960s. An inmate would be released from the institution for a specific period of time, ranging from a few hours to days, to participate in planned activities such as family visits, educational programs, or work, and then return to the institution. While on furlough, the inmate would typically be unsupervised. The 1967 President's Crime Commission both praised these programs and called for their expanded use. By the mid- to late 1970s, virtually all states had some variation of a furlough program.

Furloughs were generally popular, noncontroversial, and unnoticed.

Massachusetts began its furlough program in 1972 with legislation signed by Republican governor Francis Sargent. Like many states, Massachusetts prohibited granting furloughs to inmates convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. This law was challenged, and the court determined that under the law, these inmates were eligible for furloughs. In 1976, the legislature passed a bill that would specifically deny furloughs to these inmates. However, Governor Michael Dukakis vetoed that bill because he believed in the rehabilitative potential of furloughs. The sequence of events leading to Horton was set in motion.

The 1988 Presidential Campaign

There is no question that Willie Horton, a convicted murderer released on furlough in 1986, raped a woman and brutalized her fiancé. Also undisputed is that the Horton furlough became a major issue for Governor Dukakis as the Democratic candidate for president in 1988. What is in question, however, is exactly who brought this event to the public's attention, transforming it from a state tragedy to a national obsession. While some evidence exists that fellow democratic candidate and rival Al Gore was the first to shine light on the Massachusetts furlough program during a 1988 primary presidential debate, the issue did not gain steam until Dukakis had won the Democratic nomination for president and George H. W. Bush had won the Republican nomination.

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