Of potholes and prisoners

RE: Colorado's Parole Board - 600 Words Of Potholes and Prisoners July 15, 2018 Michael J. McCarthy I am a prisoner at Sterling Correctional Facility and have the "inside scoop" why there is not enough money to repair that pothole on your street. I discovered the reason tucked away in the Annual Parole Board Report. Yearly, Kevin Ford, Ph.D. - Statistical Analyst for the Office of Research and Statistics compiles a comprehensive review of Colorado Board of Parole decisions. Understandably, few citizens will ever read it, but they should. The details affect us all. Ford's report showed that while the guidelines for parole release 53 percent of eligible prisoners worthy of parole, the Board of Parole only paroled 37 percent. That 16 percent difference meant our 1000 prisoners of the approx. 7000 prisoners who saw the parole board, who were earmarked for parole in 2016, weren't. At an average cost of $37,500 to house a single prisoner annually, that equates to nearly $40 million per year being misappropriated. In a limited state budget, the more money we spend on corrections (nearing $1 billion in fiscal year 2018/2019) the less there is for more vital areas of government, like education, infrastructure, health care, etc... One simple solution would be for lawmakers to introduce a bill that would mandate "notifying" those in charge of budgetary concerns when things are going awry. Here, the governor, legislators, district attorneys, CDOC Director, and Board of Parole chairman would be informed whenever the parole board falls below 3 percent of the recommended guidelines for parole release in any given month. This way they could make critical cost saving adjustments. There are only seven primary parole board members in Colorado who are appointed by the Governor. Each member earns a 6-figure income, and it is no easy job. Unfortunately, Ford's report does not breakdown the individual statistics for each parole member, but it should. If one or two board members go rogue (significantly lower than the recommended guidelines for release) it will drive the overall statistics down—as it has. Prisoners speculate that Parole Board members Denise Balasic and John O'Dell, who are known to routinely defer the majority of prisoners that they see, are costing taxpayers $40 million a year. That's an awful lot of indirect monetary control for two people, never intended to have such authority. Remember, every 40 prisoners these parole board members setback requires over $1.5 million per year to fund. So, squandered tax dollars add up quickly. This comes at a time when Colorado's jails and prisons are already overburdened. New correctional facilities can cost in excess of $100 million a structure, which is an enormous allocation particularly if it isn't needed. During the last legislative session, State House and Senate Judiciary committees put a hold on the Department of Corrections (CDOC) "black check" to open more prisons until they get their act together. Denver Attorney, April M. Elliott, made legislators Rep. Pete Lee and Senator Kent Lambert Keenly aware of some questionable practices of CDOC time computation officials. And the Board of Parole. Namely; misapplying State Statutes, thus causing prisoners to serve more time than necessary. Google: "Colorado Supreme Court Rules Thousands of Prisoners Illegally Denied Parole Hearings," by Alan Prendergast, Westword, Sept 21, 2017. (That's me with Gov. John Hickenlooper). Kevin Ford Ph.D. is to be commended for his through Annual Parole Board Report. Hopefully, someone with the authority to make the changes that are needed will review Ford's work, but it's doubtful. As it was, I discovered my findings halfway through an inch thick report. There is a human factor to all of this: You and I. Ironically, correctional staff from all over the world come to Colorado to train their employees. The Colorado Department of Corrections is portrayed as a model prison system. Yet, even Third World countries don't purposefully hold their prisoners past their release dates at the expense of other areas of government and its taxpayers. Presently, I'm your pothole. Michael J. McCarthy is a writer for social reform. Contact at: Michael J. McCarthy, Unit 32-E-6, P.O. Box 6000, Sterling, CO 80751 Or by Jpay mail at www.jpay.com or by email Tablet at www.ConnectNetwork.com Select "all" Colorado facilities, Michael McCarthy I have a 2 year sentence... I'm extremely skilled... I'm going to need some help when I get out... To all researchers, writers, penpals... I will write 100% back, honestly, etc.. I'm well versed in things pertaining to the prison system. Google: widgets and snuzus, The Denver Post. Society's Invisible People, The Huffington Post, Break These Chains, America's Ripe for Prison Reform, Rolan, HuffPost... Cut prison spending first, not schools, HuffPost etc... Facebook: Friend Search: Michael McCarthy - Denver (That's me in the Gold Blazer, tie and Derby... looks like I'm saying "Yes!")