Cuts imperil safety, officials warn
$2 million slashed from agency that monitors habitual criminals free on probation, parole
By Glenn Smith
For more information
Visit charleston.net/parole for the Law and Disorder series
South Carolina is gambling with the public's safety by cutting $2 million from the agency that monitors thousands of habitual criminals free on probation and parole, top law enforcement officials warned Thursday.
Just last month, legislative leaders talked of boosting money for the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, saying the agency is seriously understaffed and needs more resources to effectively perform its mission. But that was before the current economic crisis sent South Carolina's budget into a tailspin.
Now the struggling agency is facing a deep cut that will leave less money to keep tabs on criminals in the community, monitor sex offenders and perform other duties. The agency has an annual budget of about $50 million and oversees some 48,000 criminals across the state.
"I don't know how you can expect them to do anything close to adequate supervision when they continue to lose resources," Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen said. "This is going to make it more difficult for us to deal with the repeat violent offenders who are released on probation and parole."
The Post and Courier described the probation and parole agency's difficulties in the five-part series "Law and Disorder," published in August. The series described how criminals free on probation or parole kill, rob and rape all too often in a state where repeat offenders are routinely released into a system ill-equipped to maintain control.
Previous budget cuts and a slumping economy already had left the state with about 130 fewer probation and parole agents than it had in the late 1990s. Some agents juggle more than 170 cases each, and lack cell phones, cars and other resources to do their jobs.
State Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell said the agency clearly needs more resources and he said he wished lawmakers could do more, but the current budget crisis required cuts throughout state government.
"I recognize what a threat the shortage is going to pose for the criminal justice system," said McConnell, a Charleston Republican. "The public's safety is compromised when we do not fund the criminal justice system."
McConnell said he's still hopeful that lawmakers can craft a budget in the upcoming session that will boost funding for the probation and parole system. "Come January, I will argue for trying to restore their budget plus increase it."
S.C. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, also plans to push for more money and manpower for the agency. But he said the state's financial constraints will dictate how much can be done.
"I want to help improve the plight of that agency, which is pretty dire," Harrell said. "I don't know how much we will be able to do, but I know it's a priority."
Peter O'Boyle, press officer for the probation and parole agency, declined to comment on specifics of the budget plan and how it will affect the agency.
Lynne Moldenhauer is the supervising agent for probation and parole in Charleston County, home to nearly 3,900 offenders. Her 18 case agents supervise about 175 offenders each.
She said she doesn't know how the cuts will affect her office's already limited resources, but she and her staff will do their best to make do.
"It's an ever-present challenge," Moldenhauer said.
Mullen and North Charleston Police Chief Jon Zumalt said they will continue to do everything they can to assist the agency, including teaming officers with probation agents to check on offenders and conduct warrants sweeps.
Zumalt, whose city is home to about 1,000 offenders on community release, said he understands the tough decisions state lawmakers had to make, but the cuts will hurt.
"It puts more on us to try to make up for it," Zumalt said. "We're going to have to prioritize, focus on those who are the highest risk and work them first. ... We're going to do everything we can, but we really need some help here with probation and parole."
Reach Glenn Smith at 937-5556 or gsmith@postandcourier.com.
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sixcar (anonymous) says...
Let's not kid ourselves here. when it comes to monitoring habitual criminals released on pardon or parole, The department of probation, parole and pardon can do very little to enhance the protection and safety of the general public.
This department is "reactive" in much the same way a police force is. They cannot "protect" you, nor can they guarantee your safety. It is not "preemptive" as government advocates would lead you to believe. To advocate that the services of this department are vital to public safety, is a complete and utter denial of the truth.
I especially like the buzz word "habitual." If they are "habitual criminals"...why are we releasing them back into the general public in the first place?
slash this budget to the bone.
October 25, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammer (anonymous) says...
"I especially like the buzz word "habitual." If they are "habitual criminals"...why are we releasing them back into the general public in the first place?"
ditto that sixcar...
it's the legal system that's allowing these criminals to keep repeating the same offenses over and over and over
that isn't a "money" issue, it's a sentencing issue
we need stiffer penalties to keep these thugs off of the street, and judges that won't allow them back out over and over and over and over and over and over....
October 25, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChrisPia (anonymous) says...
The System right now dictates a need for these parole and probation officers..Stiffer Sentences are needed but will not solve the problem. Three strikes laws would solves the some of the problems.. CuttingAny law enforcement funding in these economic times is dangerous...They can cut back by Investigating corruptive practices and waste and not giving earmarks to special interests to get elected...
Cuttng law enforcement initiatives in the Most Violent crime state is astounding. Where is the leadership?
October 25, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ChrisPia (anonymous) says...
They are overwhelmed and get complacent.Start Holding them accountable with Good management and cutting the waste. Or make laws that violent criminals have to serve 90 percent of there time .(only eligible if they are good behavior candidates)..Three strikes and a life sentence is mandatory would be a decent deterrent.(2 is even better) Accountability is needed in Government.
October 25, 2008 at 9:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
back2u (anonymous) says...
ChrisPia, do you personally know the p&p agents? How then can you say they are complacent? Overwhelmed? YES. Complacent? Probably not. I got out of the agency 10 years ago when they wanted us to start meeting with offenders at non-traditional hours. Not easy or safe to do with a family. And I wasn't the one with a criminal conviction. For the life of me, I couldn't justify for myself why my family & me should be inconvenienced for a criminal. Jeez, back then caseloads ran around 130-140. It was frustrating to be reactive.
FYI Sixcar: Pardon is when the conviction is forgiven. Expungement is when conviction is erased from record. Parole is early release from a prison sentence. Probation is "supervision" in lieu of prison with the prison sentence "hanging" over you head in the event one screws up.
October 25, 2008 at 10:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sixcar (anonymous) says...
Back2u, I agree with your comments. The point of my post was in response to the following quotes from the story...
"South Carolina is gambling with the public's safety by cutting $2 million from the agency that monitors thousands of habitual criminals"
"The Post and Courier described the probation and parole agency's difficulties in the five-part series "Law and Disorder," published in August. The series described how criminals free on probation or parole kill, rob and rape all too often in a state where repeat offenders are routinely released into a system ill-equipped to maintain control."
"Repeat offenders" released on parole have already been under the supervision and dictates of parole officers under the criminal justice system. The term "repeat offenders" in itself, already substantiates the position that parole officers can do nothing to prevent crime and protect the public safety.
When government officials advocate increasing funding for this program under the guise that it is vital to public safety, they are not being honest. Parole officers can do little more to protect the public from crime than you can, I can, or even the police can.
I support government programs and functions that work and can be justified by results. But to claim that parole officers are going to protect you from crime is nothing more than blatant dishonesty.
October 26, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DeputyinSC18 (anonymous) says...
I just wish that PPP would violate offenders when the offender is rearrested again and again...... Go figure.
October 26, 2008 at 12:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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