By Just A Guy
Editors Note: For much of 2009, Just A Guy wrote reports for us from a California state prison (here’s an example). He was released last November, but continues to send us commentary every now and then.
So, it’s been some time since any of you have heard anything from me. Here’s a story for you about how poorly the parole system works.
As many of you will remember, I was released in November of last year, but paroled to a state out of California.
Since that time I have had no problems whatsoever, have been very successful on parole, worked and travelled for business all over the country, supported my family, and been an upstanding citizen.
Earlier this year, I met some people at an industry meeting, and the discussion resulted in my being offered a job that required my moving to a state different than where I was on parole. The transfer paperwork allowing me to move from the controlling state to the new state was initiated a short time after I accepted the position, but the paperwork that was submitted through the Interstate Compact Office was somehow lost.
Meanwhile, I moved to the new state in order to start my new position; though I was having to go back monthly to my old state to report for parole, as one isn’t allowed to be out of state on a travel permit for more than 30 days without reporting back to the controlling state. In the beginning of October — three months later — I found out that the transfer paperwork had been lost and had to be re-submitted; meanwhile I had to spend a minimum of $600 a month to go back to my controlling state and report in. Being proactive, I called the out-of-state parole office in California to find out what was going on and explained the situation. California “fast-tracked” my paperwork to get the out-of-state transfer done. Fortunately my parole officer at the time was very understanding and didn’t make me come in to report the last time I was supposed to since the paperwork was confirmed as being processed by California.
Ultimately, in the last week of October, my transfer paperwork came through and I am now officially under the supervision of the new state.
Why does any of this matter? It’s been a year since I left prison, and my parole should be ending. I would have been a “no brainer” to be discharged from supervision in the state I just transferred out of — but because I just moved to a new state, the California Parole Division has recommended I remain on parole because I don’t have a proven track record of success in the new state — even though I have been successfully employed here for four months, and was previously successfully employed in the old state for eight months.
Apparently, it doesn’t matter — because I’m in a new environment and they want to make sure I’m abiding by the rules and regulations of parole in the new environment, which, really are about the same as the old environment.
The irony of all of this is that I went above and beyond in trying to make sure I was doing things right and following the rules of California and the other two states. I even called the California Interstate Office to find out what the problems in facilitating my transfer were and got them resolved. Had I just gone back and forth between the state where I was residing and working (costing $600 a month in travel) and let the system do its slow meandering work, my transfer probably still wouldn’t have gone through — it would have shown I was successful in the “old state” and I would be recommended for discharge.
Now, because I tried to keep things on the up and up, I’m getting punished.
It’s very frustrating. I have to travel with some frequency for my job, but the new state is less permissive with business travel and that affects my ability to do my job and support my family and be successful. I have always been under the impression that parole was meant to help protect the public AND help the parolees make a successful transition back to society. I have done everything humanly possible to be successful, but the process just gets in the way.
I am being recommended to be retained on parole because I started a new job – crazy, since that makes our family’s life better.
Another crazy thing, the reason I had to call the California Interstate Office, is that parole agents are not allowed to contact each other directly. In other words, my parole agent in the state I transferred out of is not allowed to contact the parole office in California directly. I can do it but she can’t. EVERYTHING has to go through Interstate Compact; no direct interaction between agencies is allowed. How’s that for effective.
Bottom line, there’s still a chance the Board of Parole may grant my discharge against the recommendation of the California Parole Unit, but what’s the likelihood of that? After all, now that I’m not in California it doesn’t cost them any money to keep me on parole in the new state! I promise you if I were in California or the previous state it would be rubber stamped.
The worst part is, I don’t get an opportunity to argue my case in front of the board, I don’t get to see the recommendation, I don’t even know when the discharge hearing is going to be.
Result: stuck on parole for another year for doing things the right way, ability to affectively my business greatly disabled. Way to go California, keep up the good work.