Posted on 12/08/2008 6:44:16 PM PST by george76
Less than a year after state lawmakers requested a probe into skyrocketing early prison releases, the Colorado Department of Corrections has reported that discretionary prison releases shot up again by a double-digit percentage.
During the 2007-08 fiscal year, which ended June 30, the parole board released 5,596 inmates compared to 5,069 the previous year, an increase of more than 10 percent...
Last year’s parole releases are nearly double the 2,813 discretionary releases during the 2006-07 fiscal year, the final year the panel was entirely appointed by Republican Gov. Bill Owens.
A prisoner’s release on parole is “discretionary” when it comes before the inmate completes his or her prison sentence.
State Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, said the continued increase in discretionary parole releases without an explanation is concerning.
“With no debate and no real explanation for the Legislature or the public, the new parole board has essentially doubled the number of prison releases in just two years,” Penry said.
The surge in discretionary parole releases the state agency first reported last year prompted Penry and a handful of his colleagues to request that the state auditor probe why the parole numbers ballooned so quickly in the first year after Gov. Bill Ritter began appointing members of the board.
Parole board members, including former Denver Police Chief David Michaud, denied at the time that parole decisions were motivated by political or budgetary concerns.
(Excerpt) Read more at gjsentinel.com ...
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We are truley at the edge of a cliff.
Except the governor Bill Ritter. He's a dem.
The pro crime Democrats take control.
It is Ritter the Critter releasing crimminals on us because he believes hard-working and law abiding citizens cause crime by having a higher standard of living. It is surprising that he does not produce anything and wants to be treated like royalty. The crimminals would be instantly killed by his body guards in stark contrast to how he would want us to cower and beg for our lives in front of his constituents!
More than one way to balance a budget.
Even with higher rates of parole, Colorado’s prison population grew by 1.6% last year. I’d imagine growth might be the reason for the paroles.
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