early release for PA inmates?

[msbabyphats]

hello all,

the latest i know is that non violent offenders are now eligible for early release since i think 2008 but it doesnt retro for offenders who were sentenced before this was implemented. does anyone know of any more recent changes, or alternative programs? any resources where i might find help with this topic? i need him home asap and i'm ready to move mountains to make it happen. is there any one i can appeal to, send a letter, anything? he's in for a drug case, not federal, was sentenced 8-16 years and has already done 4 1/2.

thanks in advance for any info

[Gisella]

hello all,

the latest i know is that non violent offenders are now eligible for early release since i think 2008 but it doesnt retro for offenders who were sentenced before this was implemented. does anyone know of any more recent changes, or alternative programs? any resources where i might find help with this topic? i need him home asap and i'm ready to move mountains to make it happen. is there any one i can appeal to, send a letter, anything? he's in for a drug case, not federal, was sentenced 8-16 years and has already done 4 1/2.

thanks in advance for any info

As far as I know in PA there is no early parole or good time here. PA sucks for that. I was just having this convrsation with few people. The only thing that I know of is RRRI, I think he can apply for that through the Prison,there is also Pre-release but he has to have served I want to say 2/3 of his minimum. The issue here is really the half assed way our law makers went about sentencing,your man is doing 8-16 on a drug case,that is Man Slaughter time, my man is doing 3-6 on a firearms charge,nothing violent, yet the "diaper swipers" are doing 1 1/2- 5. There is something very wrong with our law makers and the sentencing judges way of thinking if they think that molesting children is less dangerous to society than drug deals. Here is the thing, if the people lead,the leaders will follow,they don't have a choice. I wish that people would take their complaints where they belong,congress and the law makers. I think if you are to write to anyone it should be the state representative,governer,congress and anyone else that you can force to listen,that is what I plan to do. Also if you are interested in passing this along, I would love to organize a protest on Capitol Hill asking for Prison Reform. Look don't get me wrong, I am a law abiding citizen and I believe in the need for law and order,whether it hurts me or not, but there needs to be some well thought out sentencing and reform. What "we" are doing is simply not working. We have to find something that works and stick with it.

[topmodel27@yahoo.com]

Well my man got good time and the judge put it on his paper work and I'm in PA as well....I kno they definitely do it.

As far as I know in PA there is no early parole or good time here. PA sucks for that. I was just having this convrsation with few people. The only thing that I know of is RRRI, I think he can apply for that through the Prison,there is also Pre-release but he has to have served I want to say 2/3 of his minimum. The issue here is really the half assed way our law makers went about sentencing,your man is doing 8-16 on a drug case,that is Man Slaughter time, my man is doing 3-6 on a firearms charge,nothing violent, yet the "diaper swipers" are doing 1 1/2- 5. There is something very wrong with our law makers and the sentencing judges way of thinking if they think that molesting children is less dangerous to society than drug deals. Here is the thing, if the people lead,the leaders will follow,they don't have a choice. I wish that people would take their complaints where they belong,congress and the law makers. I think if you are to write to anyone it should be the state representative,governer,congress and anyone else that you can force to listen,that is what I plan to do. Also if you are interested in passing this along, I would love to organize a protest on Capitol Hill asking for Prison Reform. Look don't get me wrong, I am a law abiding citizen and I believe in the need for law and order,whether it hurts me or not, but there needs to be some well thought out sentencing and reform. What "we" are doing is simply not working. We have to find something that works and stick with it.

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[phillymom]

my cousin got 2 to 5 cause the judge felt she showed no remorse. She was medicated and a nervous wreck. She was just supposed to get maybe 3 months or just 5 years probation. She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of involuntary manslaughter...no felony applied. What does anyone think is the soonest she'd get out?

[Philly_Girl]

She will have to do at least the minimum of 2 years before she will be considered for parole.

[Angel80]

Well my man got good time and the judge put it on his paper work and I'm in PA as well....I kno they definitely do it.
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I agree- they don't call it good time here but when the parole board reviews all that "good behavior/time" is considered in the early parole process.

[Angel80]

BTW- I have a question too- My fiance just had me send a formal letter to the judge that sentenced him and some dude that he talked to on the phone concerning boot camp. As some of you may know he was denied for boot camp because his heart beat was irregular then 2 weeks later his heart failed. His question was (he wrote it out and I revised it several times lol) is he eligible for early release since his not attending boot camp was no fault of his own? If he would have completed the program he was garunteed to come home in December. Now he has to go infront the parole board- no garuntee there. Is the judge the right person to contact in this case? Cause I'm thinkin that we should be sending this letter some where else- that judge ain't gon care...

[mrsc2be]

Sorry, but other than the RRRI program (Bootcamp), there is no early parole (release) in PA. Even for health reasons. You can not be paroled earlier than your minimum. Once the judge gives the sentence, the amount of time you do is determined by the Parole Board. And they have absolute authority regarding how much less than your maximum you do.

The judge may have considered "good time" in his sentence, but once he's done, he's out of the process. You time in or out of jail is determined by the Parole Board, up to the last day of your maximum. And trust me, you can spend years on parole, doing good time. Get a new conviction for something as simple as a dui, and Parole will take every day of it away from you.

[Angel80]

Sorry, but other than the RRRI program (Bootcamp), there is no early parole (release) in PA. Even for health reasons. You can not be paroled earlier than your minimum. Once the judge gives the sentence, the amount of time you do is determined by the Parole Board. And they have absolute authority regarding how much less than your maximum you do.

The judge may have considered "good time" in his sentence, but once he's done, he's out of the process. You time in or out of jail is determined by the Parole Board, up to the last day of your maximum. And trust me, you can spend years on parole, doing good time. Get a new conviction for something as simple as a dui, and Parole will take every day of it away from you.

I'm confused? This is his first time up state. He's never been before the parole board. His early release date is in December...so your saying that they will not take into account what has happened to his heart???? Does the parole board in PA accept letters from loved ones/will that help with their decision?

[Philly_Girl]

Angel80. do you mean his minimum is Dec??
Your BF should see the parole board in Aug as they see the board at about 4 months before their minimum.

There is no good time here in PA. THey have to do a guarantee of their minimum before they are released if granted parole.
NO the parole board will not take into account health issues.

I think you can send a support letter to the parole board and to your BF (have him have the prison parole agent put it in his file), so they see he has support outside. It is not a requirment though to send the letter.

[Angel80]

Angel80. do you mean his minimum is Dec??
Your BF should see the parole board in Aug as they see the board at about 4 months before their minimum.

There is no good time here in PA. THey have to do a guarantee of their minimum before they are released if granted parole.NO the parole board will not take into account health issues.

I think you can send a support letter to the parole board and to your BF (have him have the prison parole agent put it in his file), so they see he has support outside. It is not a requirment though to send the letter.

Yes I meant minimum for December. What do you mean by the line I underlined and highlighted in red? BTW thanks for the info girls

[Angel80]

Oh wait no I see what you mean- you mean that he HAS to do his minimum if he gets paroled?

[MRBILL]

About the only thing close to "good time" is pre-release which you can apply for within 18 to 24 months of you min. sentence if it is approved then you go to a half way house close to your home where you complete the rest of you min. While your there you are given furloughs at first for 8 hours then overnight stays then weekends etc. Till you meet you min. sentence.My wife is going thru this process now.

[Angel80]

About the only thing close to "good time" is pre-release which you can apply for within 18 to 24 months of you min. sentence if it is approved then you go to a half way house close to your home where you complete the rest of you min. While your there you are given furloughs at first for 8 hours then overnight stays then weekends etc. Till you meet you min. sentence.My wife is going thru this process now.

Cool- so how does he apply? It would suck to have him at a halfway house but atlease he would be closer to home...

[minus2]

My son was sentenced to 2-7 and has been in jail/prison for 8 months now. His sentence is not eligible for RRRI, but he has now been assigned to his home jail and his counselor there told him he is eligible for pre-release come Dec and if approved, into a half way house in 4 to 6 months from then.

So my question is, if your sentence does not allow for RRRI, can you still be eligible for pre-release?

[mrsc2be]

Yes, in fact he can't have RRRI AND Pre-release to halfway house. Good Luck!!! A halfway house is SO MUCH BETTER than all the way jail!

[Philly_Girl]

Minus2

Yes, a person will still be eligible for pre-release even if they are not allowed RRRI

[Angel80]

Minus2

Yes, a person will still be eligible for pre-release even if they are not allowed RRRI

Thanks girl!

[dopey827900]

Ok I have a question. If you are eligiable for RRRI can you be eligiable to pre-release at your RRRi Min? Also when you put in for pre-release how long does it take to actually get out?

[Angel80]

Yes, in fact he can't have RRRI AND Pre-release to halfway house. Good Luck!!! A halfway house is SO MUCH BETTER than all the way jail!

LOL "All the way jail!" Yeah it's still not as good as having them home but the reason it's call "half way" is cause their half way to their freedom!

[DLN1010]

Ok I have a question. If you are eligiable for RRRI can you be eligiable to pre-release at your RRRi Min? Also when you put in for pre-release how long does it take to actually get out?

dont know about RRRi but as for pre-release as long as the inmate is no more than a year from his min. and gets approved for pre-relese he can go to a center or halfway house. they get staffed for pre-release around or after they are 18 months from their min. once approved they wait and then once they get a bed date they usually leave in a couple weeks. hope this helps its a little hard to type it all out.

[minus2]

Thanks for the answers. Fingers crossed he moves to a halfway house asap. His min is October 2012, so if he gets into a halfway house by June 2012 it'll only be 4 months from then. How does this impact his parole? Does he then have to stay at the halfway house until October before he can apply for parole? Not really sure how parole works, so forgive me if I sound ignorant.

[MRBILL]

Cool- so how does he apply? It would suck to have him at a halfway house but atlease he would be closer to home...

His counselor should let him know when he is eligible. He should contact his counselor to see when is date but usually they go over his green sheet with him they will give him his dates..

[mrsc2be]

Pre-release does not effect his Parole eligibility. He will be in the Custody of the DOC. He will still be eligible for Parole at his minimum and will see the Board while he's in halfway house But he can work and he can have social passes. I've known men on pre-release for almost a year and they worked 6 days a week, and had a social pass on their 7th. 1 - 1 1/2 hour travel time on either side of work schedule and social passes I think are 6 hours. Even people who don't have a job are allowed out to look for one.

And the "Wait Game" is basically played on the outside instead of in. So much better.

[Angel80]

Pre-release does not effect his Parole eligibility. He will be in the Custody of the DOC. He will still be eligible for Parole at his minimum and will see the Board while he's in halfway house But he can work and he can have social passes. I've known men on pre-release for almost a year and they worked 6 days a week, and had a social pass on their 7th. 1 - 1 1/2 hour travel time on either side of work schedule and social passes I think are 6 hours. Even people who don't have a job are allowed out to look for one.

And the "Wait Game" is basically played on the outside instead of in. So much better.

I'm SO worried about that- you know with his heart and all. I just want him home- a halfway house is gon be like he's still in camp hill watch- I can just feel it (if that happens)

[minus2]

Thanks again for the answers. Just got off the phone with #1 son. He's down, very worried about his little brother. I did just talk to #3 son over the weekend, so I assured him as best I could, that his brother is ok. Then I told him that what his counselor said about the pre-release for him may be right. It raised his spirits, he really didn't think he was eligible and thought that his counselor was wrong. He's also kind of bummed that he can't take any vocational classes. His counselor said he won't be there long enough. That's great that his sentence is less time that the classes, yet disappointing. I'm so worried about his options once he is released with a felony.

[MissingmySunshine]

dont think likethat.....you have to know, that half way house would be soooo much better than camp hill

I'm SO worried about that- you know with his heart and all. I just want him home- a halfway house is gon be like he's still in camp hill watch- I can just feel it (if that happens)

[mrsc2be]

Angel, A halfway house means he can seek medical attention outside of the institution. Even his home jail won't be like Camp Hill.

Minus2, they got such a great mom behind them, when this is over, they'll be ok. Just gotta get them thru and get them home.

[mrsc2be]

If D was in a halfway house now, that means that at sometime within the last couple days, he was home, in his bed. With me. And of course... the dogs!

[minus2]

mrsc2be ~ {{hugs}}. Thanks so much and (wink) yes playing the "Waiting Game."

[ForeverBuds]

Ok, I have been looking for someone other than me that wanted to get a sentence reform protest going on Capital hill! I have been to the Gov. Sen. State Rep. Attorney Gen., and Surprise, Nobody wants to listen, So I believe we need to shout Loud enough for them to listen!!!!! I am serious about this, and have just been waiting for someone else to reach out! I have posted on ********** as well, and so far, nobody wants to stand up for the rights of our loved ones! If we don't take a stand, and demand Change, then nothing will Change. If anyone is serious about getting a protest going on Capital Hill here in Pa. Please let me know!!!!! I am going to provide my email address, and only those that are serious need apply! [PKunselman@verizon.net

[msbabyphats]

can you please tell me what RRRi is?

[minus2]

Right off the PA DOC website:

In November 2008, Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive legislation was enacted. Referred to by DOC officials as RRRI, the law enables eligible, non-violent offenders to reduce their minimum sentences if they complete recommended programs and maintain a positive prison adjustment, or in other words, they practice good conduct and remain misconduct free during their incarceration. The reduction provided is a percentage off their minimum sentence that is based upon the sentence length.

[mrsc2be]

And RRRI eligibility is determined at sentencing, by the Judge.

[BIGlilSiS]

I am interested and so is my grandmom....email me jbean1028@gmail.com
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[Angel80]

dont think likethat.....you have to know, that half way house would be soooo much better than camp hill

Yeah your right- I know I would DEF want him closer to home and with those passes he could come see us- it would be better!

[proudmama5966]

look i dont know if something has changed since you all been on but my boyfriends pd just told me he theres really no reason he shouldn't get early release (sorry i can't spell) but he gave me no way to get it started if any one knows anything pls pls let me know he's been gone since Feb and in that time i've lost my job my house and my dad i'm in a real bad way for help right now so anyone who can i will offer my prays

[Philly_Girl]

THere is NO early release program in PA. Your BF can talk to his counselor about pre-release. With pre-release, he goes to a half way house until his minimum if approved.

[Gisella]

THere is NO early release program in PA. Your BF can talk to his counselor about pre-release. With pre-release, he goes to a half way house until his minimum if approved.

I thought that maybe I had missed something. I think that maybe some are confusing the minimum with early release. I wish there was a "good time" credit,like NJ. In NJ if your sentenced to 3 (they do not "do" split sentencing there) with good time, work credits etc, you end up doing 9 months to a year....PA should have something like that.

[Gisella]

BTW- I have a question too- My fiance just had me send a formal letter to the judge that sentenced him and some dude that he talked to on the phone concerning boot camp. As some of you may know he was denied for boot camp because his heart beat was irregular then 2 weeks later his heart failed. His question was (he wrote it out and I revised it several times lol) is he eligible for early release since his not attending boot camp was no fault of his own? If he would have completed the program he was garunteed to come home in December. Now he has to go infront the parole board- no garuntee there. Is the judge the right person to contact in this case? Cause I'm thinkin that we should be sending this letter some where else- that judge ain't gon care...

If he sees Parole in December I am sure that they will take everything into consideration. Like you said, he through no fault of his own, could not complete the program. I can't see them denying him Parole bc of something that he has no control over. Hopefully everything works out and they grant him Parole and he comes home in December either way. And the truth is the State doesn't want to sit there and continue to pay for his medical treatment-so release would save them money. A friend of ours sat in prison for 2 yrs, the minute they found out he had cancer- they said "time served" and sent him home. A letter you may want to consider writing is to your governer asking for a pardon. That might be possible if he has been well behaved and served a lot of his time already. And is a non-violent offender. Can't hurt to try,right?

[Angel80]

If he sees Parole in December I am sure that they will take everything into consideration. Like you said, he through no fault of his own, could not complete the program. I can't see them denying him Parole bc of something that he has no control over. Hopefully everything works out and they grant him Parole and he comes home in December either way. And the truth is the State doesn't want to sit there and continue to pay for his medical treatment-so release would save them money. A friend of ours sat in prison for 2 yrs, the minute they found out he had cancer- they said "time served" and sent him home. A letter you may want to consider writing is to your governer asking for a pardon. That might be possible if he has been well behaved and served a lot of his time already. And is a non-violent offender. Can't hurt to try,right?

You are right! I think I'm gonna give it a little time because he was just moved to Greensburg and now is on the lowest restriction level they have there. It seems to me like their about to send him home- he's in the basement where there are no cells just bunk beds and he told me that guys are getting called left and right to go home- some without knowing they were going. Boy I hope he's one of the lucky few!

[waldingerchief]

Ok I have a question. If you are eligiable for RRRI can you be eligiable to pre-release at your RRRi Min? Also when you put in for pre-release how long does it take to actually get out?

does anybody now if getting ready for pre release and you not done with a class that there making you take will they pre release you

[waldingerchief]

does anybody now if getting ready for pre release and you not done with a class that there making you take will they pre release you

[brwneyegrl903]

My man told me last nite that he should be scheduled to go in front of board mid September. He said that they are looking at release between Dec 3 to Jan 3. His rrri minimum is Jan 3rd. He already got his parole paperwork filled out and back. Would love to see him sooner but he said they aren't going to let him out before his minimum.
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