Big Changes in Store for N.C. Probation
Newly elected Governor Bev Perdue has big ideas for the North Carolina Division of Community Corrections. It seems over the past several years there was story after story of probationers committing new crimes. It peaked with the murder of UNC student Eve Carlson last year. Eve Carlson was murdered by two men, both of which were on probation and both of which were in violation.
Ask any probation officer in the state and you will hear the same thing; caseloads are unmanageably large and staff turnover is at an alarmingly high rate. With files changing hands several times in a year, officers hardly have time to learn their new clients name before they are shuffled off to someone else. This leads to extremely poor supervision of probationers in the state and violators like those who killed Carlson to run free.
Outside audits and internal shakeups have proven that the N.C. probation system is near broken and in serious need of major changes. Governor Perdue hopes to alleviate much of the problems by authorizing 117 new probation and parole officers and by raising the pay of many already employed.
By spending an estimated $28 million over the next two years on the states probation system, Perdue hopes to alleviates caseloads and make the job more worthwhile for those officers working daily to keep probationers in check.
The majority of people on probation were granted that type of sentence because they are non-violent and do not pose such a high risk to the community. Offenses like DWI and Possession of a Controlled Substance are often granted probation in lieu of jail time. Probationary conditions like check-ins with an officer, random drug testing, and mandatory employment all work towards making law breakers remain on the right side of the law.
Probation is a privilege and one that not everyone gets. If you are facing a crime and wondering if you may be entitled to probation rather than a prison sentence, you should talk to an experienced defense attorney. Call me today for some free legal advice and to see if you might be eligible for a more lenient sentence in your criminal case.
