Amid allegations that she is soft on prisoners and has inappropriately released inmates early, Nevada corrections director Jackie Crawford has quit her post, Gov. Kenny Guinn announced Thursday.

Crawford, 65, the state's first woman to serve as director of the prison system, has asked to be relieved of her duties because of back problems, Guinn said in a statement. She plans to use medical leave to attend to her health and wants to be reassigned to another position until her retirement, he said.

Guinn appointed Glen Whorton, 57, to replace Crawford. Whorton had retired from his position as deputy director of prisons in January. He has been with the Department of Corrections since 1977. In his new position, Whorton will earn $115,770 annually and oversee 11,500 prisoners housed in eight institutions, 10 conservation camps and one restitution center.

Dennis Mallory, a union organizer with the State of Nevada Employees Association, has criticized Crawford, saying she has pampered prisoners and maintained policies that have created unsafe conditions for officers. Gammick has said that he questions her early-release practices.

Crawford came under fire last month after an e-mail message sent by Parole Board Chairwoman Dorla Salling to Gammick was made public. In the message, Salling said Crawford had been liberally handing out good-time credits to inmates, allowing them to leave early, even after the parole board had denied their release.

During the meeting, Crawford acknowledged that a number of the early releases she authorized did not comply with the department's policy, he said. Some of the inmates were released one-to-30 days early, he said, adding "that kind of activity has not happened since."