[Ppnews] Sundiata Acoli - Revive the Federal Parole System

[Political Prisoner News]

REVIVE THE FEDERAL PAROLE SYSTEM
By Sundiata Acoli - 1/06




Under the present system most federal prisoners must serve 85% of 
their sentences before being released. Almost no provisions exist for 
federal prisoners to earn early release thru good behavior, superior 
work performance, outstanding achievements and the like. A federal 
prisoner sentenced to 10 years today must serve 8 1/2 years before 
being released; one sentenced to 20 years must serve 17 years before 
release, no if, ands or buts.

Under the old Federal Parole System all first-offenders were eligible 
for parole after serving 1/3, or 33%, of their sentence. Also, most 
were actually paroled after completing 1/3 of their sentence and all 
reached *mandatory release* upon serving 2/3, or 67%, of their 
sentence. A federal prisoner sentenced to 10 years under the old laws 
was usually paroled after doing 3 1/3 years and reached mandatory 
release at 6 2/3 years; one sentenced to 20 years was normally 
paroled after 6 2/3 years, or mandatorily released after 13 1/3 years.

Now Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) has introduced to the House, HR 
3072, a bill To Revive the System of Parole for Federal Prisoners. In 
order to get this bill passed he needs the support of other 
congresspersons nationwide.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Write and/or call *your* Congressperson (*contact info provided 
below) and urge him/her to "co-sponsor HR 3072, a bill *To Revive the 
System of Parole for Federal Prisoners*," so that:

1) Your family member, loved one or friend in the federal prison may 
be released early and reunited with you earlier;

and/or

2) Billions of tax dollars being spent to confine mostly non-violent 
drug offenders can be saved or diverted to better and proven methods 
of solving drug abuse and addiction problems;

and/or

3) A safer society can be built by promoting rehabilitation, shorter 
incarceration times for deserving prisoners, relief of dangerous 
prison overcrowding, prohibition of another wasteful and futile spree 
of prison-building and promotion of a better use of public funds to 
strengthen needed social programs;

and/or

4) Whatever other reasons you feel the old Federal Parole System 
should be reviewed.

After you write and/or call your Congressperson, get your family 
members and friends to write/call their Congressperson.

*To get your Congresspersons address(es) and telephone numbers access 
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress and click on *your* state; it will 
give you all contact info for your Congressperson. Write your 
Congressperson at her/his local office. It will reach him/her faster. 
Letters to his/her Washington D.C. address will be delayed several 
months while being checked for anthrax.

~~ END ~~



The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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