Inslee's staffing shake-up at the state Department of Corrections

Chetanya Robinson

Chetanya Robinson Jun 28, 2025

Jan 12, 2018

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                <h1>Inslee's staffing shake-up at the state Department of Corrections</h1>
                <h2><p>Gov. Jay Inslee is naming a former state Department of Corrections official to run the department temporarily in the wake of the computer mistake that resulted in the early release of thousands of inmates over the past 13 years. Inslee will appoint Dick Morgan, who previously worked at the DOC</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/chetanyarobinson-gmail-com/">Chetanya Robinson</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Jan 12, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>Gov. Jay Inslee is naming a former state Department of Corrections official to run the department temporarily in the wake of the computer mistake that resulted in the early release of thousands of inmates over the past 13 years. Inslee will appoint Dick Morgan, who previously worked at the DOC for over 30 years before retiring, as interim secretary.</p><p>“We will have a vigorous search for the permanent leadership," Inslee said. Morgan will replace Dan Pacholke, who stepped in after the computer errors were uncovered but is resigning this month.</p><p>The Department of Correction’s former chief information officer at the state’s IT agency has resigned, Inslee announced. Two other DOC officials have been demoted, and two reprimanded over the mistake.</p><p><a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/inslee-error-releases-inmates-early-since-2002/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">More than 3,000 prisoners were released early between 2002 and late last year</a> as a result of a computer error at the DOC. The glitch gave prisoners too much credit time for good behavior, resulting in the early releases.</p>
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Gov. Jay Inslee is naming a former state Department of Corrections official to run the department temporarily in the wake of the computer mistake that resulted in the early release of thousands of inmates over the past 13 years. Inslee will appoint Dick Morgan, who previously worked at the DOC for over 30 years before retiring, as interim secretary.

“We will have a vigorous search for the permanent leadership," Inslee said. Morgan will replace Dan Pacholke, who stepped in after the computer errors were uncovered but is resigning this month.

The Department of Correction’s former chief information officer at the state’s IT agency has resigned, Inslee announced. Two other DOC officials have been demoted, and two reprimanded over the mistake.

More than 3,000 prisoners were released early between 2002 and late last year as a result of a computer error at the DOC. The glitch gave prisoners too much credit time for good behavior, resulting in the early releases.

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By Chetanya Robinson

Chetanya Robinson is a former intern with Crosscut. He was born and raised in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington in fall 2016. He enjoys reporting on an eclectic range of topics,