Following the dismissal of over 2,000 prison workers in New York due to a strike, it has been announced that inmates convicted of minor crimes will be released early. The New York State Department of Corrections reported that more than 2,000 employees were terminated from their positions for going on strike “without union approval”, leading to a shortage of staff in prisons. Daniel Martuscello, the Director of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, sent a memorandum to prison managers after the termination of staff on March 10 across New York. Martuscello instructed prison managers to initiate efforts for the early release of inmates convicted of minor offenses and serving sentences ranging from 15 to 110 days due to the “staff shortage”. Emphasizing the “staff shortage in prisons” in the state, Martuscello informed that some inmates will be released early in order to maintain balance in the prison system. He clarified that inmates convicted of sexual offenses, violent crimes, murder, terrorism, arson, and other serious crimes will not be among those released early. The staff who went on strike were dismissed Earlier in New York, on February 17, prison workers began a strike protesting difficult working conditions such as staff shortages and mandatory overtime. New York Governor Kathy Hochul deployed National Guard troops to prisons due to the disruption caused by the strike conducted “without union approval”. Despite two attempts to reach agreements to end the strike, they were unsuccessful. Martuscello announced on March 10 that the 22-day strike ended through an agreement with the union representing the striking workers but over 2,000 staff members who did not return to work earlier than expected were dismissed.