Pubdate: Mon, 29 Apr 2002
Source: American Press (LA)
Copyright: 2002 Shearman Corporation
Contact:  http://www.americanpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/926
Note: Title by Mapinc editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

RELEASE NON-VIOLENT INMATES?

A move by the state Legislature last year to reduce the annual cost 
of prisons in Louisiana is stirring controversy. Act 403 established 
three risk review panels to examine nonviolent inmate applications, 
gauge the inmates' risk to the public if they were released from 
prison early and make recommendations to the state Pardon and Parole 
boards.

In April, the Louisiana Pardon Board recommended approval for 10 of 
14 applications for immediate parole eligibility. All 10 inmates who 
received positive recommendations are serving time on possesion 
and/or distribution of cocaine convictions.

The recommendations for parole eligibility were forwarded to Gov. 
Mike Foster for his approval. If approvel, they then go to the Parole 
Board for a hearing.

However, the recommendation came in the face of opposition from 
district attorneys, law enforcement officials and victim-rights 
organizations.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Doug Moreau said that sooner or 
later, a felon released through Act 403 is going to run afoul of the 
law. He said that the act relieves individuals from responsibility if 
something goes wrong.

He said that inmates have already been through the judicial system 
and sentenced by a judge who considered their crimes and their 
criminal history. He also said that because of plea bargains, many of 
the inmates are already serving time on lesser charges.

''You have to work very, very hard these days to get in jail,'' Moreau said.

James Sandifer, president of Common Sense Against Crime, opposed the 
14 applications before the Pardon Board and objected to the leniency 
in each case.

''This is a new risk review panel. What you have from the risk review 
is their opinion, but what you have before you is fact,'' Sandifer 
said about the criminal history the Pardon Board is given for the 
hearings. ''I think the risk review panel needs to review more 
closely the clients they send over here. They sent over nothing but 
reoffenders.''

Department of Public Safetys and Correction Secretary Richard Stadler 
said the panel reviews criminal histories, court records and other 
documents to decide if an applicant is a good risk for release. The 
panel considers criminal history, but it also looks at the age of the 
crimes. If a person has nine arrests in the 1970s, but a clean record 
recently, the panel will look at that differently than a person who 
had more recent arrests, Stadler said.

Kathy Gess, a co-director of a national organization that works for 
criminal justice reform in fair treatment for inmates and their 
families, said that panel members go through the entire file before 
talking to prisoners. She said that panel members then ask prisoners 
about their crimes, what they've done to imrpove themselves, such as 
drug treatment, anger management, education or job training courses 
and their plans if they are released.

She said that in comparison, the Pardon Board only focuses on arrest 
records and law enforcement opposition.

While the Legislature's efforts to reduce the cost of the state's 
prison system are laudable, it comes with risks. The new review 
system deserves a chance to succeed, but it also deserves close 
scrutiny and a short life span should benefactors of the early 
release wind up back in the criminal justice system.
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