Ex-Convicts Screened for Parole Release

Prison officials are scrambling to study the case histories of 40,000 ex-convicts who might be eligible for release from parole supervision under a budget-cutting plan endorsed by Gov. Pete Wilson.

In a softening of his hard-line stance on crime, Wilson endorsed a plan by Democratic legislators to save an estimated $30 million to $70 million per year by eliminating supervision of parolees who have been convicted of a single nonviolent crime.

Wilson, who previously has criticized reducing sentences, also has accepted a plan to increase time off for good behavior for certain prisoners.

Legislation is required to implement both proposals.

The plan to release nonviolent offenders from parole supervision is a major component in Wilson’s “reluctant” proposal to cut $191 million from the $2.9-billion state Department of Corrections budget he presented in January when the state’s fiscal future appeared brighter.

“It is a minor, but it is a very reluctant, reduction in the level of spending for corrections,” said Dan Schnur, communications director for Wilson.

“When you compare that small reduction in the level of spending with cuts in other (departments) of government,” said Schnur, “the governor’s commitment to the public safety of the state becomes very clear.”

But the California Probation, Parole and Correctional Assn. accused Wilson of endangering the public.

“Parole is the safety valve between the institution and the community,” said Susan Cohen, executive director of the professional organization of about 2,700 members.

Cohen predicted a rise in state prison costs because more ex-convicts would fail to adjust to society without parole supervision.

“The guaranteed result of eliminating parole is increasing recidivism,” she said. “Down the road, costs will go up.”

Cohen estimated that about 3,000 parole agents’ jobs could be affected by the plan because of transfers or layoffs.

A 150-member task force of the Department of Corrections is going through 40,000 names on a computer list of parolees believed to be nonviolent, trying to determine if they are eligible to be released from supervision under the governor’s proposal.

Some offenders convicted of nonviolent crimes, such as major drug dealers, would not be eligible for release, said Craig Brown, state director of criminal justice planning.

Corrections officials do not know how much money may be saved by adopting the non-supervision program nor how many parole agents may be transferred or laid off. Democrats in the Legislature put the savings at $30 million and the governor’s aides put the figure at $70 million.

Cost for supervising a parolee is $2,600 per year, according to corrections officials. But some ex-convicts who are considered low-risk parolees are seldom seen by parole officers and some mail in their supervision forms.

Parole agents are represented in collective bargaining by the politically powerful California Correctional Peace Officers Assn., most of whose members are prison guards. The group, which contributed heavily to Wilson’s campaign, has not protested the plan to eliminate parole supervision of nonviolent offenders, corrections officials said.

“Parole has been the stepchild of the union for a long time,” said Cohen of the probation and parole association.

Wilson is also trying to cut prison costs by about $32 million by increasing good-behavior credits to convicts while they are being processed before assignments to penitentiaries and by doubling the good time earned by inmates working at fire camps.

Inmates who are willing to work and who obey prison rules earn good time--a day off their sentences for every day of good behavior.

Wilson’s acceptance of the Democratic plan to increase good time appears to contradict his previous backing of so-called “truth in sentencing” proposals that would require inmates to serve their full sentences.

But spokesman Schnur said that Wilson’s acceptance of the good time plan is contingent on legislation limiting such time off of the sentences of violent offenders to 15% of the prison term.