RUSH: In Watertown, New York, a former school-bus driver who admitted that he raped a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to probation. No jail time and people are outraged.

But soon, even if criminals in New York do manage to get jail time, it might not last. A new bill working its way through the state legislature would give seasoned veteran criminals a get-out-of-jail-free card.

The “elder parole” bill would grant parole eligibility to all inmates 55 and older, who have served at least 15 years in the slammer. It has the support of a slew of Democrat officials all across the state. Democrats are “concerned” that New York state prisons are being used to warehouse elderly seasoned criminals.

So, if New York Democrats have their way, soon every criminal in New York — including murderers, serial killers, rapists, purse snatchers, vicious, unrepentant predators — will be eligible to get out of jail if they are 55 years of age and up. That is, if they even go to jail in the first place.

This is what liberals mean when they claim they’re compassionate and understanding. Yeah, but maybe for the wrong people?