Talk:Federal inmate
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There is no parole in the federal system for offenses committed after 01 November 1987.
H.R. 3072 - A BILL TO REVIVE THE SYSTEM OF PAROLE FOR FEDERAL PRISONERS, seeks to reinstate the old law system of parole.
SUMMARY
REVIVE THE SYSTEM OF PAROLE FOR FEDERAL PRISONERS AND INCREASE GOOD TIME ALLOWANCES FOR FEDERAL OFFENDERS
Parole of federal offenders began after enactment of legislation on June 25, 1910. Under the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, the United States Parole Commission retained jurisdiction over defendants who committed their offenses prior to November 1, 1987. At the same time, the Act provided for the abolition of the Parole Commission on November 1, 1992. The phase out of the Commission has been extended by statute several times. Most recently, by S.1368: “The United States Parole Commission Extension and Sentencing Commission Authority Act of 2005.” Whereby, the Commission has been extended until November 1, 2008, despite the Commission having taken over supervision of all DC offenders in addition to the remaining 4,000, or so, Old Law offenders. Presently, the Commission has 85 employees and a budget of over $10 million.
When the U. S. Sentencing Guidelines were imposed for federal defendants whose criminal activities took place subsequent to November 1, 1987, parole was eliminated. Early release was limited to approximately 47 days of good time each year and the sentences themselves were increased appreciably. The majority of federal inmates are non-violent low-level drug offenders with very long sentences. Moreover, the majority of this segment of the federal inmate population is being incarcerated for the first time. Several thousand people in prison are serving life sentences for non-violent offenses without the possibility of parole. The vast majority of these people are also first time offenders.
Ninety-seven per cent (97%) of all federal inmates are eventually released. 45,000 federal inmates were released last year in the United States. Presently, there are almost 191,000 federal detainees. The cost to house these inmates increases exponentially as they age. Total cost to U. S. taxpayers for federal incarceration is upwards of $7.64 billion yearly. Re-entry of mostly indigent elderly inmates is significantly affecting state budgets. After many years of incarceration, inmates tend to lose all support. Their wives and children abandon them. They lose their ability to find and keep a job because they are banned from most jobs requiring a license and have received no alternative training in prison. There is no money allotted to the federal prison system for rehabilitation programs. Yet voters favor rehabilitation over punishment 8 to 1.
Reinstitution of the old parole and good time laws would reduce the inmate population considerably. Those statues, with minor changes, would reward those inmates who have shown positive institutional behavior with earlier release. Although early release would not be guaranteed, it would allow a second chance to those that prove they deserve that chance. Supervision of all offenders would revert once again to an existing agency with the expertise to determine the appropriate time for return to the community without endangering the public safety.
It has been determined that this plan of parole and increased good time will save U. S. taxpayers upwards of $2 billion per year by taking mainly non-violent first-offenders out of the prison system earlier and enabling them to become part of the productive mainstream of American life.
TALKING POINTS:
H.R. 3072 - To Revive the System of Parole For Federal Prisoners
1. In a Dan Jones survey in Utah in 2003, almost two-thirds of respondents who registered an opinion supported the cause of parole. [1].
2. 97% of all federal inmates are eventually released. Approximately 45,000 federal inmates were released last year in the United States.
3. The costs of incarceration are soaring, including both the costs of building new facilities and the costs of operating new and existing facilities. Estimated yearly cost to house one inmate amortizing property and personnel is $40,000 per inmate.
4. As of 21 June 2006, there were almost 191.000 inmates in the federal system.
5. Total yearly cost to house these inmates is $7.64 billion.
6. The average age of those inmates is 38 years. Some 16,260 people are serving sentences more than 20 years in length, and some 47,300 people are serving sentences longer than 10 years. Over 5,485 people are serving life sentences.
7. The Bureau of Prisons now operates 0ver 106 federal prisons, 6 regional offices, a Central Office (headquarters), 2 staff training centers, and 28 community corrections offices.
8. The female prison population, overall, has increased over 600 percent in the last 20 years.
9. Forty percent of all federal inmates are black, and 16.8 percent of all the inmates are Mexican citizens.”
10. The majority of federal inmates are non-violent low-level drug offenders with very long sentences. Moreover, the majority of this segment of the federal inmate population is being incarcerated for the first time. Some 5,000+ people in prison are serving life sentences for non-violent offenses without the possibility of parole. The vast majority of these people are also first time offenders.
11. The new sentencing guidelines eliminated parole and made it necessary to complete all but forty-seven (47) days of good time each year. The new system doubled the sentences that judges were forced to impose. Despite Booker vs United States sentencing has remained the same. Judges are sentencing above the guideline range twice more then pre Booker.
12. Inmates can be rehabilitated and should have a second chance to lead positive lives.
13. Prison overcrowding is a real danger to both inmates and staff. The federal Bureau of Prisons is presently 40% over capacity with no end in sight.
14. Inmate physical assaults are on the increase.
15. Inmate sexual assault is on the increase with the result that more inmates are HIV positive.
16. Communicable diseases such as TB, Hepatitis C, HIV and AIDS are on the increase endangering inmates and staff.
17. More than 5,000 TB positive inmates are released nationwide each year.
18. The cost to house older inmates is twice that of younger inmates because of increased medical costs.
19. It will cost the federal government more than $700,000 over the life of a prisoner 50 years of age or older to house that prisoner for the rest of his life.
20. There is no money for rehabilitation programs. Voters favor rehabilitation over punishment 8 to 1. (Zogby Poll/NCCD).
21. The sentences today are too long, especially for non-violent crimes and first time offenders.
22. Lengthy sentences have an inordinate impact on inmates’ families, particularly on children who must be raised in broken families.
23. With the loss of a wage earner, inmates’ families are forced on to the welfare rolls with the resulting negative impact on state budgets.
24. There will be 700,000 inmates released this year nationally. Most of these inmates have been released with little or no post-incarceration supervision having maxed out their sentences with good time.
25. First time non-violent offenders should not be given non-paroleable sentences for drug charges equivalent to sentences given to serial violent offenders.
26. Inmates do not get the same health care they can request on the outside. Lengthy non-paroleable sentences cause medical emergencies within the facilities and huge indigent health costs when inmates are finally released.
27. Further prison growth is not sustainable monetarily or morally.
28. FedCURE estimates that reinstitution of the Old Law parole guidelines would release of 50,000 inmates immediately. 29. An existing federal agency with inmate release expertise is standing by to take over supervision of this plan.
30. New technologies, proven and in practice today in 40 states, utilize state-of-the-art Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) tracking and reporting solutions to supervise paroles, in real time--24x7, for as little as $4.00 per day. week on corrections%5Fcom special report.htm and [2]
FedCURE is the world's leading advocate for America's, ever growing, federal inmate population. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to extend an invitation to each of you to join us in our efforts to reform the federal criminal justice system in the United States. Federal CURE, Incorporated is a nonprofit organization that, inter alia, deals largely with the issues faced by federal inmates and their loved ones.
We are working to reinstate parole; increase good time allowances; provide for compassionate releases; restore PELL grants; and opportunities for successful reentry into the community, for all federal offenders; and promote a system that incarcerates fewer people and provides humane conditions for those who are incarcerated or under post-incarceration supervision via parole or supervised release.
Urgent Action Alert FEDERAL PAROLE BILL H.R. 3072 - "A bill to revive the system of parole for Federal prisoners." Please Click here to go to Alert URL: [3]
For more information please contact FedCURE.
FedCURE
P.O. Box 15667
Plantation, Florida 33318-5667
URL: [4]
E-mail: [FedCURE@FedCURE.org]
Fax: 408.549.8935
www.FedCURE.org
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