There is not only an overcrowding aspect to the two and five year flops commonly granted by today’s parole system. There is also a great financial cost to the taxpaying citizenship. When an inmate has done the required one fourth of his term to become parole eligible, completed all required groups, and maintained clear conduct within the institution. The Legislative Statues are designed for that inmate to be paroled. When the Parole Board adds to his sentence with a two to five year flop, it is at the cost to our state populations tax base.
- It costs the state about $25,000 per year to house an inmate. A five year flop cost about $125,000 per inmate.
- Added to the immediate cost to the state, is the loss of tax dollars that would be paid by that inmate if he/she were on parole and employed.
- at $6.00 an hour wage you pay about $3744 a year in taxes.
- at $7.00 an hour wage you pay about $4368 a year in taxes.
- at $8.00 an hour wage you pay about $4992 a year in taxes.
A check of the DOC records should reflect how many inmates at this current time are beyond their parole eligibility dates.
Secondly: The current Montana Prison System has created a revolving door effect with parolees. Numerous inmates on parole are repeatedly violated on “Technical Violations” and returned to prison. They are then, several months later, released right back into the Parole/Pre-Release system to violate again.
Part of this problem is created by the lack of addressing their chemical addictions out in society rather than sending them back to an environment were they are separated from the influences of the addiction. We must learn to do a better job of treating the addiction out in society where the real influences of addiction exist. It cost tax payers money every time this person is violated and returned, money better spent on treatment programs in society.
If a parolee violates to an extent they are worthy of being returned to prison, it should be for a period of incarceration that allows another inmate the opportunity of release in his/her stead. Every returned violator has a major effect on the overcrowding.
Thirdly: The actual process of the parole system in Montana right now, is also a factor in the overcrowding. On numerous occasions inmates have taken three to four years to be granted parole and then be released, because of the way the system is designed to operate. Currently the system is designed as such:
Step 1. You go to Pre-parole school for thirty days prior to your parole hearing. Pre-Parole school is to inform you of the necessities of a parole plan, ie; job, housing, and treatment if required.
This step of the process should be ninety days prior to your hearing, and be to actually submit your parole plan to the IPPO to be sent to the local PPO where you are attempting to parole. They in turn should verify all aspects of the plan and notify the IPPO if any changes are required. This would allow the parole board members to know that an inmate has a verified plan when they appear before the board members.
Step 2. Thirty days before the inmate appears before the parole board they should be consulted by the IPPO as to any changes in the parole plan that is required by the PPO officer. That allows the inmate time to set up for a new job, or housing if they need to do so. This then can be verified and presented to the Parole Board members at the hearing.
Step 3. Currently, an inmate goes before the parole board with an unverified parole plan, and hopes to be granted parole. If parole is granted, it takes between six months and a year for the plan to be verified, and to be released. This should be changed to the following:
When an inmate appears before the Parole Board for their hearing, all aspects of their parole plan should have been verified and accepted by the local PPO. If parole is granted, there should be no more than a thirty day period to release the inmate to his/her parole. This would not only alleviate the overcrowding of an inmate waiting to have a plan approved, It would also be more feasible for any employer, or rental agency to hold the position or living space for that parolee.
Long Term Inmates: The length of incarceration is also a large contributor to the overcrowding. Somehow we as the citizenship of Montana need to look at how long we want the Department of Corrections to act as our vehicle for revenge. When a person is taken to trial, the jury acts on behalf of the victim. When a person is sentenced before a Judge, the Judge acts on behalf of the victim by imposing a sentence. At some point we must realize that the system cannot continue to act as a vehicle to impose revenge on the convicted. After a person has served twenty years of incarceration, it is either time to accept his payment of debt to society, or become more active with the death penalty. Set out a twenty year plan of incarceration, sentence the person accordingly, and prepare them for the release that will eventually come about. If a person is not worthy of ever being released, then we need to establish very specific reasons for that requirement. Currently, it is at the discretion of the Judge and money.
- It cost the taxpayer about $1,425,000 to incarcerate an inmate for a term of one hundred years with no parole.
- That inmate is then at an age where even if he lives and discharges, his only hope of existence in society is to depend on welfare, social security, and other government support agencies. All at the continued expense of the taxpayer.
Barry Beach
