Venezuela could release up to 40% of its prisoners

[Bacchus39]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/08/01/venezuela.prisons/index.html

Venezuela's new prisons minister believes that 40% of the country's inmates do not belong behind bars, the El Nacional newspaper reported.

The newspaper published an interview with Iris Varela on Sunday, in which she outlined her vision to fix the country's overcrowded prison system.

"Of the country's 50,000 prisoners, 20,000 should be out of jail," she told El Nacional.

"There are people in prisons who do not pose a danger to society," she said. "(They) can pay for their crimes outside of prison."