Probation Reform Workshop - Saturday @ DARE 11am
Posted by: Bruce Reilly
in Crime & Criminal Justice
on February 26, 2010 
What is all the fuss about probation in Rhode Island? Simply put, we are a national "leader" in the percentage of Rhode Islanders on probation (30,000 folks), and have one of the most regressive systems of revocation.
Rep. David Segal and Sen. Rhoda Perry re-introduced the twice-vetoed bill to release probationers who are ultimately cleared of their new charges. Segal's bill is now co-sponsored by new Judiciary Chair David Caprio, and Reps John Carnevale (retired Providence P.D.), Scott Slater, and Al Gemma. With the shake-up in the House, it is good to see the diversity of legislators who have come to support this not be shaken.
As Congressional Candidate Bill Lynch pointed out at Drinking Liberally the other night, people are being sentenced to extremely long stretches that are disproportionate to their crimes. Compounding that is the permanence of a record, what it does, and the inability to lessen the sentence no matter what one does. To that end, Rep. Segal introduced two other bills.
H7382 gives the probationer or their probation officer the opportunity to petition the judge to let them off their sentence. It is not likely any judge would overrule the Dept. of Probation & Parole, but it may surely take some pressure off the overburdened staff to dedicate that time towards people who truly need the supervision.
H7383 allows the Parole Board to award probationers and parolees a reduction of 15 days per month if they complete a month without incident. This gives people an added incentive to maintain their conditions of release, maintain contact with the authorities, and pursue a positive lifestyle. Most people who return to prison do it within months of their release, thus to have five, ten, or fifteen years suspended into someone's old age is an unnecessary burden on both the person and the state.
Direct Action for Rights and Equality will be holding a workshop at 340 Lockwood Street, Saturday the 27th at 11am to 1pm. It is open to the public as an opportunity to better understand the issue of probation in Rhode Island. Anybody with questions can call 351-6960.
Tagged in: Scott Slater , Rhoda Perry , Prisons , John Carnevale , Direct Action for Rights and Equality , David Segal , David Caprio , DARE , Criminal Justice , Al Gemma
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