New System Means Some Will Do More Time

Friday, July 14, 2006 03:58 AM

The Province of B.C. is getting out the “parole” business. It plans to transfer the responsibility for parole administration of provincial offenders over to the Federal Government.

Solicitor General John Les says the move will bring the province in to line with much of the rest of the country. Only B.C., Ontario and Quebec have their own parole authorities, and Les says Ontario is also taking a look at making a change.

“There are three direct staff who will be impacted by the move” says Les. He says the three will move to other positions within the Government. The 19 member Parole Board will stay on to assist in the transition, but will be disbanded after the changeover is complete in the spring of 2007.

The change will mean some will have to serve more of their sentence. The provincial parole system covers those sentenced to less than 2 years. Parole becomes an option (provincially) if the sentence is 90 days or more. Under Federal rules, parole would be an option only if the sentence is at least 6 months. Under both systems Day Parole was available after having served 1/6 of the sentence, and Full Parole is possible after having served 1/3 of the sentence.

So, under the current provincial parole system, if a person was sentenced to 3 months, they could be granted full parole after having served one month. The Federal rules don’t allow any parole unless the sentence is at least 6 months, so the person would have to serve the full time. “I don’t think the public is going to have any problem with the possibility someone could serve slightly more time” says the Solicitor General.

Les says any dollars saved by this change will be redirected to programs to better prepare offenders for their return into the community after release.

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Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 03:58 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: GRUMPY on July 14 2006 8:26 AM

WOW- WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO. TO THINK THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO SERVE MORE TIME FOR THE CRIME BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES ( TEARS OF JOY ) NOW IF WE COULD ONLY FIND A WAY TO INCREASE THEIR TIME AT THE PROVINCAL HOTEL ALL WOULD BE WELL.
OUR COURTS DO NOT GIVE A DAMN FOR THE VICTIM, THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS. MAYBE WE SHOULD REBUILD THE BC PEN AND GO BACK TO THE PADDLE.A LITTLE PAIN MIGHT SHOW SOME GAIN IN THE RESPECT TO OTHER PEOPLES RIGHTS.

Posted by: owl on July 14 2006 9:43 AM

"Les says any dollars saved by this change will be redirected to programs to better prepare offenders for their return into the community after release."

I would have thought that a day on parole, even with a system of parole officers in place, would be considerably cheaper than a day in prison. I would also think that since there are more person-days spent in the system as a result, we will have to build additional facility space.

The Solicitor General does not back up his implied statement that there is money to be saved with numbers showing that.

Posted by: owl on July 14 2006 9:45 AM

The hospital stay and other medical costs after a good flogging is very expensive. Sometimes they even have to perform skin grafts.

;-)

Posted by: Chester on July 14 2006 6:36 PM

Thank you for reducing some of the duplication we pay for. I would agree that serving more time rather than less is appropriate and supported by many citizens. We don't have to worry about serving the actual sentences they have been handed as to much, do we? Chester

Posted by: ammonra on July 14 2006 6:50 PM

That's true Owl. Perhaps we should go back to hanging people for stealing a loaf of bread, then we wouldn't have to worry about the cost. Damn, we'd have to bury 'em!

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on July 15 2006 7:18 AM

Shouldn't cost much to bury them. Might even get lots of free volunteers everytime one gets put down.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on July 15 2006 7:21 AM

Oh, there might even be a final service these bodies could provide society. Toss them in with the hog fuel at the mill.

Posted by: Gofaster on July 20 2006 8:37 PM

Nice pipe dream....
Too many cry baby soft hearts out there for this to happen.....