One Bad Apple Screws Everything Up

JOSEPH A. SLOBODZIAN, of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on 10/13/08 that the Pennsylvania parole freeze was bloating the prison population. Knowledgeable prison folks wonder how the system will hold up without the monthly release of 1,100 parolees.

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell halted paroling state inmates, in response to the killing of Philadelphia Police Officer Patrick McDonald by a paroled felon.

Governor Rendell named John S. Goldkamp, head of Temple University's criminal justice department, to do a top-to-bottom review of how the Board of Probation and Parole decides who gets paroled. The Gov.'s spokesman Chuck Ardo said. "Clearly, the danger posed by an error for a citizen outweighs the impact on the system."

Betty Jean Thompson, of Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE), said she found the wholesale halt to parole illogical: "If a surgeon kills his patient, we don't stop all surgeries."

The complete article can be found at:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20081013_State_parole_freeze
_bloating_prison_populations.html

Soap Box Ravings says if a surgeon kills his patient perhaps we should stop all of the surgeons surgeries until we identify the cause along with any new precautions to be taken prior to and during surgery.

As a ex-Probation Officer, Soap Box Ravings understands that some incarcerated felons are negatively affected by this. However, they were incarcerated because of their actions and this should be seen as part of their learning experience...for those capable of learning. For those not capable of learning, or those who choose not to learn, they will certainly recycle through the system still believing their problems are someone else's fault.

Soap Box Ravings sends a hearty "Bravo Zulu" to Pennsylvania Governor: Ed Rendell (D)