Pubdate: Tue, 30 Dec 2003
Source: Decatur Daily (AL)
Copyright: 2003 The Decatur Daily
Contact:  http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/696

BEST TO WAIT AND SEE ABOUT THE NEWLY PAROLED

District Attorneys And Law Officers Across The State Have Started Worrying.

They're worried that paroling inmates, possibly as many as 5,000 in the 
coming months, will increase their workloads when they have to arrest, 
prosecute and incarcerate them once again.

Since Dec. 1, a second three-member panel of the Alabama Board of Pardons 
and Paroles has been meeting. This addition doubles the number of parole 
cases the state can hear and may double the number of new parolees hitting 
the streets.

December's docket has 1,263 names, including some of the state's most 
violent criminals, eligible for parole hearings, regardless of the 
additional board. The rest - convicted of everything from drug charges, 
theft, felony DUI, credit card fraud, forgery and arson - are part of the 
board's special docket of nonviolent offenders.

Limestone County District Attorney Kristi Valls is one who worries about 
these inmates being freed. "I don't see how this alleviates the problems 
when six months down the road, I'll be prosecuting the same person," she said.

The problem Valls is referring to is the overcrowding of Alabama's prison 
system. Currently, our prisons are holding more than 28,000 inmates in 
facilities built for 12,000. That, and the financial crunch brought on by 
Alabama's budgetary problems, is forcing prison officials to seek 
alternatives, including paroles and early release.

It costs a lot to keep these people jailed. It's far less expensive for the 
state to hire extra parole officers and pay their benefits than to keep all 
of these people in jail. Whatever the outcome, it's a chance we should take.

If they can't lead the type of life society expects of them, then slap them 
back in jail.

At this point we can only wait and see and hope the dire predictions by 
officers of the court never come to pass.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart