State parole absconders are being invited to return to the government's embrace with little to no risk of going back to prison, according to a state government announcement Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and the Pennsylvania Parole Board announced a “Safe Return” to people on parole who have not complied with their parole or have a warrant for their arrest.

The window runs from Aug. 24 to Sept. 4 and eligible parolees can report to the closest parole office to reestablish compliance with parole supervision staff with the potential for more favorable consideration. Anyone who has a state Parole Board case that is no longer in compliance with supervision is eligible. But they must be under state parole supervision and be paroled by the parole board.

In Butler County's parole office, there is currently one absconder and in the nearby Mercer district office, there are 51 absconders. Employees with the Butler County office declined to comment.

Statewide, there are 1,871 parolees, or 4.5 percent of the total parolee population, classified as absconders. The program aims to keep absconders out of prison and into a stable, supportive environment.

Those who surrender during Safe Return weeks will be processed through an expedited system. If someone turning themselves in has an outstanding warrant from a jurisdiction other than the Pennsylvania Parole Board, they could be detained. These warrants will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Operation Safe Return includes specialized services for those in need of help with unpaid fines or substance use disorder.

In 2017, Dauphin County held a similar Safe Return program, which the state Department of Corrections and Parole Board described as “an overwhelming success,” with more than 700 individuals turning themselves in to law enforcement and 5,340 warrants processed over a three-day period.