Elderly inmates

     Some 841 new pieces of legislation are on the docket for the start of the regular legislative session next Monday.  Among them is a measure that would give prison inmates over the age of 60 a shot at freedom.  Baton Rouge Representative Pat Smith is filing the bill.  It is highly restrictive however.  It does provide that inmates who have served more than 10 years of their sentence be given a hearing before the parole board.  They must be at least 60 years old.  The theory is that elderly inmates who are not a danger to society be taken off the prison rolls. Smith says, "The most important thing is that it just makes them eligible to go before the parole board.  It doesn't open the door and say you can just walk out.  It says you'll have an opportunity to have a hearing."  What do you think of the "60 year old"  early release bill?   Do you think it has a chance of passage?  Similar bills have been shot down in the past.  But Representative Smith says this year, she has the blessing of the Bishops Conference and The American Civil Liberties Union.

Comments

[LA MAN]

Several guidelines for the Parole Board need to be inacted inorder for an individual to be considered for release.

One: The seriousness of the offense.

Two: The amount of time of the senctence served.

Three: The individual records while incarcerated.

Society needs to be assured the Parole Board has given an individual serious consideration before releasing them back into society.

[Trump for President]

gotta love the nation we live in....what is next,,giving them money since they can't work?

fill the openings with crooked cops, gov workers, and all poli-crap

[mike]

No keep them in, they will just draw on our other social benefits which we will pay for anyway. Nice to know your door greeter could have killed someone. Not worth it.

[LA MAN]

Yes, we do love the nation we live in. Do you have a better to live in? Even though we have all the problems this nation has: It is still the best nation on earth. It is so great that we can elect an inept President and still survive. We are spoiled with our way of life, get a grip.

[DA. GARDNER FOR MAYOR]

And once this 60 year old person who has been incarcerated for the last 10+ years gets out how will they pay their bills???

why not just keep them in there till they are eligible to draw SS. It will not be around much longer any ways. Maybe we can build a half way house next to where Pat Smith lives, I bet she would not support this idea then....

[Mom]

Here is what the proposed legislation actually says:

Patricia Smith HB No. 138

Abstract: Provides for parole consideration for those inmates who have served 10 years in prison, have reached the age of 60 years, and have met certain conditions.

Proposed law provides that any person sentenced to the custody of DPS&C who has served at least 10 years of a term of imprisonment shall be eligible for parole consideration upon reaching the age of 60 if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The offender has not been convicted of a crime of violence or a sex offense, or an
offense which would constitute a crime of violence or a sex offense, regardless of the
date of conviction.

(2) The offender has not committed any disciplinary offenses in the 12 consecutive
months prior to the parole eligibility date.

(3) The offender has completed the mandatory minimum of 100 hours of prerelease
programming.

(4) The offender has completed substance abuse treatment as applicable.

(5) The offender has obtained a GED, unless the offender has previously obtained a high
school diploma or is deemed by a certified educator as being incapable of obtaining
a GED due to a learning disability. If the offender is deemed incapable of obtaining
a GED, the offender must complete at least one of the following: a literacy program,
an adult basic education program, or a job skills training program.

(6) The offender has obtained a low-risk level designation determined by a validated risk assessment instrument approved by the secretary of DPS&C.

*********************

My thoughts are this -- the cost to incarcerate in the state of Louisiana -- in 2008 (http://nicic.gov/StateStats/default.aspx?State=LA#6) -- is $12,951.

The cost to provide for someone on the public dole breaks down to approximately the same price.

Conclusion, the politicians are shuffling money from one budget to another and not really accomplishing anything that's going to save any money.

[Lucy Ferr]

A $.50piece of Lead is more cost effective , Is this person a Democrat who is trying to shovel more dung to us or maybe a drug toting Psych ? I believe Vlad Tepeche had a better prison solution , sharpened stake up the patooty. I noticed apparently that the worst offenders today , DUIs would probably not qualify. You let Wilbur Rideaux go free , let the liberals house them w/ their families . NO MORE TAXES - EXECUTE THEM !

[Sal]

Keep them in until they die!
They should have let Wilbur Rideaux die in prison too. The person he killed and family he ruined never got out of the life he ruined by being a THUG(MURDERER). Put them in tents and hard labor and maybe they would not be there to begin with. They are hotels for these thugs not real prisons. Other country's have real punishment for their crimes and they don't have pathetic lawyers getting them off.

[Elohssa]

Lucy Ferr:

Come by my house. I can sell you some .22's that will do the job for a lot less than $.50 each.

I personally think that ONE thing the French were right about was Devil's Island. Take the lifers and put 'em on an island, drop a bag of seeds and tell'em we'll come back and do a headcount every year when we drop off the next batch.

If they're in for life, I'm not worried about them living a long time. I just have to pay extra to feed 'em. I don't care if they're entertained or educated. Why educate somebody who's never leaving prison.

And like the pants-wetters did with that murdering Wilbert Rideau, eventually somebody will want to let them out.

Kill 'em. Society will be the better for it.

[Frustrated Tax Payer]

At the age of sixty who will hire them is there enough section 8 housing for them how will they pay their bills buy their groceries pay for medical care will more be taken out of my paycheck for federal taxes and more for social security a SSI I will never see. Maybe there should be a retirement prison built for them. I cant afford to have any more taxes and SS & medicare taken from my paycheck.

[Fire Randy Roach]

"I personally think that ONE thing the French were right about was Devil's Island."

Me too. But, instead of convicts, we put Tea Party folks on it.

Then we'll see how far that "every man for himself" attitude goes.

[ms annie]

If you don't want to be incarcerated at the age of 60, then how about you refrain from committing crime?!?!?!?!

[old timer]

I think the first legislator that proposed this idea of older inmates getting a chance at parole,was our own Willie Mount,she did it when wilbur Rideaux was in prison .My personal opinion was she did it for rideaux and hoped to garner more african american votes.the bill didnt pass.its been so long that i cant remember all the details,but thats the downfall of time ,it erases lots of memories, and that is the politicans greatest friend...time. Dont second guess the jury and judge that sentenced them.

[big shirl]

Whoo Lordy, Mr. "Fire Randy Roach" is heating it up early this fine morning! My dear Mr. "Roach," there is a big difference between convicts and Tea Party folks - and between criminals and responsible, hard-working tax payers who end up supporting said criminals. That was an ugly comment. Truly, truly ugly. But to be honest with you, I'd bet money I'd be safer on an island with a group of said Tea Party folks than out here with criminals being set loose on the public left and right!

[DA. GARDNER FOR MAYOR]

OK how about some revenue raising idea's: What if we do the old gladiator thing make the early release candidates go into the ring with say Mike the Tiger tie some meat scrapes around there necks and if they live well then they can meet with the parole board, in the mean time we can sell tickets to the event and maybe even set up a pay per view contract.
Also as your up and coming Mayor, I must say I am not impressed with Willie Mount as a future tax assessor, she has lived off the public long enough, the only difference between her and a welfare mom is she was elected.

[Lucy Ferr]

Would someone explain what " Cruel and Unusual " Punishment is ? Putting a murderer to SLEEP is cruel and Unusual ?
Da Gardner has an excellent point - As the Romans used to do , a fight to the Death by inmates , literally cut down the prison overhead. Pay-for-view and force the little Rug Rats to watch - The lesson of Crime does not pay would fit nicely - What's left after the doublre murder suicide would be MINE for disposal :)

[Fire Randy Roach]

"there is a big difference between convicts and Tea Party folks"

Apparently not. It looks like half of the comments here are arguing that the state should kill all criminals rather than house them away from society.

Woe unto those who forget to pay a traffic ticket.

[Fire Randy Roach]

"responsible, hard-working tax payers"

Also, I don't understand the logic here. Why brag about being such a good, tax-paying citizen when the whole raison de etre of the Tea Party is anti-tax?

Shouldn't you be instead bragging about how you evade the IRS every year so those evil non-Christians at NPR can't get any of your "hard-earned" money?

[bob]

"big shirl" sounds fat and ugly.

/probably likes sammiches

[DA. GARDNER FOR MAYOR]

SAMMICHES AND COLD BEER YUM YUM, MAKES BABY SITTING LITTLE KIDS WORTH THE TIME AND DUCK TAPE.

[Lucy Ferr]

Why is Obama masquerading as " Fire Randy Roach " ? Try hanging rancid meat around your neck , maybe you can find someone who wants to kick , I mean play w/ you. Sounds like your Mother still beats you for Kicks.

[mike]

Hey bob, your mom likes sammiches

[DA. GARDNER FOR MAYOR]

I think i watched Bobs mother one time for some beer money. lol

just kidding Bob. Lucy you seem awfully nice today whats up with that???

i miss the ole tell it like it is Lucy...

[big shirl]

I am 5'8" and weigh 115 pounds - so not fat. The big is due to my height and my big attitude. I am not currently a member of the Tea Party. I AM proud to work hard and that I pay my taxes.

But I still INSIST that there is a BIG difference between Tea Party Folks (and anyone else who comments that criminal offenders should be killed) and convicted criminals.

[DA. GARDNER FOR MAYOR]

Hey big shirt if your a woman, with those stats, you qualify to come to the Gardner Girls try outs...