No-parole plan urgedMcMaster says proposal would keep dangerous inmates behind bars By Robert Behre (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Brad Nettles S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster urges the Rotary Club of Charleston on Tuesday to support his no-parole plan. Creating a new court to help South Carolina's nonviolent offenders get help instead of prison time would save the state money and allow it to lock up its most dangerous inmates for a longer time, state Attorney General Henry McMaster said Tuesday. McMaster visited the Rotary Club of Charleston to urge its members to ask their state lawmakers to pass his No Parole-Middle Court proposal. The term "Middle Court" refers to a court that's halfway between prison and probation and would expand the concept of the state's drug courts, which are designed to help nonviolent offenders get help so they don't commit another crime. Removing these nonviolent offenders from the state's prisons would free up room to get rid of parole. McMaster said he wants violent offenders to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence. Inmates could slice off 15 percent of their sentence, but they wouldn't be eligible for parole. McMaster said that would ease the burden on victim's families who no longer would have to make regular trips before the parole board to speak against an inmate's release. "That will send a clear message to the criminal element that if you do the crime you will do the time," he said. While some might expect a move to swell the population of the state's already-crowded prisons, he said other states that have taken similar steps have seen their prison growth slow, possibly because criminals realize their sentences will be longer. "We know it will work. What we have to do is get it passed in the Legislature," he said. McMaster also urged the 150 Rotary members and guests to help the state's efforts to crack down on dogfighting and on predators who use the Internet to solicit sex from children. He noted such predators once had to go to parks or school grounds to find victims, but now they can operate from anywhere. "It's raining perverts," he said. "We can't get 'em all." Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or at rbehre@ postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 30 comment(s)
Posted by Thomas1776 on July 23, 2008 at 4:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Parole and Probation is both a very bad un-necessary waste of our taxes in a very big way. Abolish them both and dismantle the SC Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services (PPP).
We will relieve ourselves of the tremendous tax burden and save millions in wasteful spending and abuse of our money each year. Employees with the Department of Probation and Parole can be use in other law enforcement capacities elsewhere.
S O U T H C A R O L I N A G E N E R A L A S S E M B L Y
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT COUNCIL:
A REVIEW OF STATE USE OF CELL PHONES, PAGERS, AND SATELLITE PHONES (June 2008)
Between August 2006 and July 2007, 40 Probation and Parole employees who have state issued cell phones downloaded inappropriate material including games, ringtones, wallpaper, sweepstakes, and horoscopes.
"During our review of agency cell phone bills, we found examples of extensive personal use of state-issued cell phones by agency employees. We were able to obtain information on the most frequently called numbers for PPP, DNR, DPS, and DMH. For PPP, 2 of the 20 most frequently called numbers for the agency were numbers associated with personal use. In one case, between July 2, 2006 and August 1, 2007, an employee made personal calls totaling over 150 hours to a girlfriend in Texas. In a second case, during the same time period, another PPP employee made personal calls to her husband totaling over 87 hours. Between August 1, 2006 and July 1, 2007, PPP exceeded its pool of shared minutes and incurred over $100,000 in overage charges (see p. 14). In the case of the two employees mentioned above, 6,432 peak minutes were used to make personal calls. PPP incurred a charge of 45¢ for each minute over its pool."
"As a result of incurring extensive overage charges, PPP switched to a cell phone plan that increases the number of peak minutes. This plan change increases PPP’s cell phone expenditures by almost $50,000 per year. It is possible that if PPP were to limit personal use of state-issued cell phones, it may be able to switch to a different cell phone plan and reduce its cell phone expenditures."
http://www.lac.sc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/C511F...
Posted by Thomas1776 on July 23, 2008 at 4:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
And the above is only the tip of the iceberg as to the abuse of our money by our fellow citizens who run our government, and by those who we elect to represent us.
Posted by Thomas1776 on July 23, 2008 at 4:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Medical University of South Carolina - $618,042.00 cell phones expenditures in FY 05-06. I would like to see those records and the numbers called and numbers received. I bet half of them are not even business related.
Posted by moonpie on July 23, 2008 at 6:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
when you get done Thomas let the rest of us know. say it all in one will ya? Cell phones?
Posted by zoomru on July 23, 2008 at 7:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Henry "MacDaddy" McMaster.....
"..Creating a new court ..."
Where is the money going to come from....YOUR Backside?? I hope you have a VISION for atttracting business into our state to generate tax revenue!! We have plenty of courts and enough laws.
Stop the SMOKE and turn up the BLOW TORCH!!
Posted by wpc3iop on July 23, 2008 at 7:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Henry McMaster sometimes comes up with some unusual ideas but I would like to hear more on this proposal. I don't like the idea of adding a new level of bureaucrats...What would be the overall cost/savings? I like the idea of violent offenders serving ALL of their time. We need to go back work gangs and hard labor for inmates instead of TV, libraries, and gyms. Prison time should be HARD time!!!
Posted by RW on July 23, 2008 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Does he know that he is hurting the wonderful ACLU's feelings? Criminals are people too.They are just misunderstood.
Posted by tripsa on July 23, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
An individual that is on probation pays a "monitoring" fee monthly for the course of the probation period. It is a revenue maker for counties.
"Removing these nonviolent offenders from the state's prisons would free up room to get rid of parole." - might help - but they still broke the law to get there. (will they repeat ther "non-violent" activity)?
Some of the "minor" laws that are broken, dont warrant forcing one to lose a job (jail time) that supports their family - Probation would help in this case.
"The term "Middle Court" refers to a court that's halfway between prison and probation and would expand the concept of the state's drug courts, which are designed to help nonviolent offenders get help so they don't commit another crime." - Some of the money saved should be diverted to help with drug and alcohol counseling.
Illegal drug users continue to have one of the biggest negative impacts on the LE system and communities.
Drug dealers should get mandatory 5 years,(dont care what the drug or the amount , you sell it you go) if a weapon is involved 10 years, if the weapnn is used - life. If death occurs during the commision of a drug related sale/crime - Death penalty.
Posted by Early on July 23, 2008 at 7:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it's a good idea. Seems now, we have one of the nations largest populations of violet crimes. Seems a stiffer, quicker sentence may,,,,,may just deter some of the violence.
Posted by number1volsfan1 on July 23, 2008 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm willing to listen to any proposal which will keep violent offenders off the streets.
Posted by oldglory on July 23, 2008 at 8:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
errr . . . T1776, what disciplinary action was taken with these abusive employees?
Posted by Lovely_One on July 23, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
oldglory, you actually read Thomas' posts? Impressive!
Posted by wpc3iop on July 23, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thomas1776: My wife works at MUSC...her boss pays for all of his personal use of his MUSC-owned cell phone but you would not believe how much trouble she had trying to find out who he should pay. He may well be the only state employee in SC who does this...at least ONE person is honest in state government!
Posted by SCgal on July 23, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just try them all in the 9th Circuit, afterall they usually walk free
DUI resulting in murder- 1 yr house arrest
embezzlement - 1 yr house arrest
murder- 25 minute not guilty
murder- not guilty- walking free
rapist- oops get out of jail free card
Doesn't matter if it's violent or not, unless it's TEENS from MTP!
Posted by willbillbedamned on July 23, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The USA imprisons a higher percentage of it's citizens than any other country in the world. It's not the prison system that is broken, it is the society that fills those prisons.
Posted by willbillbedamned on July 23, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The USA imprisons a higher percentage of it's citizens than any other country in the world. It's not the prison system that is broken, it is the society that fills those prisons.http://www.sentencingproject.org/Admin/Documents/publications/inc_comparative_intl.pdf
Posted by ln1959 on July 23, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Prison = Money
Why do you put a person who smokes a joint in jail for two year, and this person was holding down a job and paying taxes. Why jail someone who have a small bag of cocaine for two years, if this person is working everyday and paying taxes.
Why, the prison system gets paid for it, but the tax payers foot the bill.
Save the tax payers some money and get rid of the parole and stop locking up folks for a joint(weed). Make the violent criminals do there hold time in jail.
Posted by chucktonian on July 23, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
we need to double the number of prisons in this state and start arresting the dopeheads, litterbugs, parents who let their kids ride ATV's and white kids who think they're black (95% of them) who can't pull up their pants
time to lock 'em up
Posted by UrGatorbait on July 23, 2008 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I see Thomas's ADD meds musta ran out.
Yeah lock 'em all up and fry 'em..Yar Yar matey....
Posted by Girleygirl on July 23, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to hear more of his proposal...sounds good so far!
Posted by Thomas1776 on July 23, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
UrGatorbait - Chiuso in su, non sarete mai l'uomo che la vostra madre sia. Tutti abbiamo balzato dalle scimmie, ma da voi didn' molla di t abbastanza lontano.
Posted by Thomas1776 on July 23, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It was so funny that Lovely's other names were banned. Those Friday afternoon "kiddie" hijacks got the black one last time. Then all the ranting about sex this and sex that.
Tisk tisk.
Posted by abitskeptical on July 23, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In1959..you got it. At least somebody does.
Willbedamned is correct-the US has the highest per capita prison population of any other country in the world. Although the prison system IS indeed broken, it is not the prison system, per say, that is to blame for that statistic.
Isn't it interesting that as prisons fill to bursting, "crime" continues unabated? If we make more laws, we will have more "criminals".
Also interesting: As many minorities have come into their own, been able to vote & found ways not to be a disenfranchised segment of society, a new disenfranchised segment has emerged (been created?).. a segment that often loses the right to vote,hold office, among other things. Just a thought.
(at last count somewhere around 30% of the adult US population is in jail, has been in jail or is on probation)
I am perfectly aware & agree that there are members of the human race who need to be removed from society..the violent & the fraudulent.
But, society has not improved since the "tough on crime" stance, nor from the so called war on drugs. WHY?
What does "tough" on crime mean anyway? It must mean "We are going to make it tough not to commit a crime", because the powers that be do not seem interested in being tough on crime to which most of us have a sickening gut reaction-rape, child molestation, stalking, domestic abuse, torture, DUI death of others, etc
Most folks still function under the delusion that all the laws, & the prison system which exists to house those that "break" them, are in place to keep society safe & for its betterment.
That is a convenient front for one of the biggest money making schemes to come down the pike.
Paraphrasing a line from a movie "The way things are going, the only difference between the criminals & non-criminals is timing." It is only a matter of time before a law is passed that makes criminals out of all of us.
Soon, at a jurisdiction near you, a law will be passed...
Posted by abitskeptical on July 23, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, well I feel better now.
Posted by MP on July 23, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
85% of all crime is done by people who have already been locked up. Most are out on bail or parole when they commit these crimes.
You do the crime, you do the time. Everyone knows there is no "rehabilitation".
Posted by zoomru on July 23, 2008 at 1:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Henry "MacDaddy" McMaster........
You and ANDRE' "the GIANT" Bauer are unbelievable!!
Henry! If you would enforce the laws already on the books and put your hands around the throats of these "loose" judges; you could be focusing on our Visiting immigration return transportation "Problem". But NO! You make a call and offer some "tootsie roll" for coverage at some stump speech! Your BUSTED ...."OTIS"!! Are you going to offer driving classes to SENIORS like ANDRE'? Maybe enforce the "HAD" (High Age Driver) laws in city limit lanes? Do you understand how absurd this makes you LOOK! Who's votes are you trolling for in this article? MADD's?? We don't need a MIDDLE COURT. I realize everyone makes some sort of mistake. When good ol' boys want to play politics with the LAWs already on the books...that's vote trolling. Reasonable and ethical JUDGES can make the determination on NON-Violent Offenders...that's why their JUDGES! If one continually screws UP...CAN YOU NOT FIRE THEM?!! If criminals knew what to expect and that the HAMMER would be brought down...they would think TWICE! What's happening is that these punks and legislators think they can get away with ANYTHING...and who's fault is that. LOOK IN THE MIRROR!! (Fist POUNDS!)
I don't care what law is PASSED....its how YOU...YES YOU! ENFORCE IT!!! And YOU want to be Governor?? How are you going to keep these RASCALS in the statehouse in line if you can't keep a grip on OUR state's judges??? How many laws and hoops have been barricaded up to HOG TIE you??
Who passed them? Does Judge Jean "JUDY" TOAL control YOU? Or do you Control HER??? Somebody has a LASSO up there in Columbia...SOMEBODY? !! IS it you "Mat Dillon" McMaster or is it "WONDERWOMAN" Toal???
By the WAY.....will someone with a ROTARY in this STATE print out this article and comment section to have autographed and SOLD on EBAY for CHARITY?? We have to start generating some sort of tax revenue to support this "PURGATORY" COURT!!
HENRY....."OTIS" is in his CELL
Posted by BillytheKid on July 23, 2008 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The get tuff on drug offenders has caught up with our wallet. Why didn't the AJ just say that their get tuff on drug offenders is just not working.
What the heck is all this cell phone BS, if you give them CC they will abuse them, if you give them autos they will abuse them and when you give them cell phones...
Posted by Thomas1776 on July 23, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
White collar crime and black collar crime. It's real.
Posted by BPFROM843 on July 23, 2008 at 3:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
im all for sending violent offenders away violent but we have to find alternative methods to deal with drug offenders there just wouldnt be enough room for the both of them but we would have to have some kind of program to help drug offenders back in the working community because as of now its impossible to get a job because everyone wants to do a background check and they forget how much drugs they used to do back in college and they look down upon me who made a mistake 4 years ago and is still payin for it now and forever
Posted by thehawks on July 24, 2008 at 12:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
there should be rehab classes for nonviolant offenders with community service.