The Face of Good Behavior?

Memphis, Tn - Good behavior for inmates doesn't mean they are nice, reformed, or changed people. It means they've taken some classes and maybe earned a degree.

We've learned there are some inmates, who have done some very, very bad things in prison but still earned enough "good behavior" that it's taken years off their sentence.

Some of the worst crimes ever committed in Memphis have been done by those released from prison early, for good behavior.

Mass murderer Jessie Dotson was on parole when he killed six people at a house on Lester Street. Dotson was serving time for Second Degree Murder, but got out of prison 5 years early for good behavior.

But, Dotson wasn't a model inmate. During his 13 years in prison, he stabbed a fellow inmate and was reprimanded 29 times for misconduct. Misbehaving added 6 months of time to his sentence.

But, the cold-blooded killer took enough courses while in prison that it earned him enough good behavior credits to shave five years off his sentence. Dotson got 2 years taken off his sentence for just passing an anger management course and decision making program.

"The irony of Jessie Dotson (is) while serving prison sentence developed hatred toward family and that was motive one of grizzliest killings the world has ever seen," said Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich.

In July of 2011, James Hawkins was sentenced to death, for killing and dismembering his girlfriend. He forced his 12-year old daughter to help cut up the body.

Before the heinous murder, Hawkins had been convicted of 17 other crimes including Aggravated Robbery and Assault. But, he got out of prison early for good behavior, five months before killing his girlfriend.

"Once they leave here, once this case leaves this office and defendant goes to serve his sentence with the Department of Corrections, we can't guarantee how long they will stay in custody, because we don't know," said Weirich.

That's because state law allows inmates to earn credits for good behavior and it's up to the Department of Corrections to determine how that time is counted and what credit inmates get it for.

In Tennessee, inmates can earn 16 days a month of time off their sentence, for participating in work, education or vocational training. They can earn 60 days of good-time credit for getting a high school or college diploma.

More than thirty other states have early release incentives for inmates. The programs are designed to reduce the cost of housing inmates and give criminals tools to succeed when they're released.

"What we don't want to get into is what other states are doing, opening prison doors because we can't afford to house them. It's a fine line that we walk."

One thing's for sure, there's no getting off for good behavior when you're on death row.

The Department of Corrections couldn't tell us, as of Wednesday, how many inmates were released early for good behavior last year.