| BUDGET/PERSONNEL ISSUES/ COSTS |
| WELL, ITS BEEN QUITE AWHILE SINCE I HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ANY FEEDBACK....THIS HAS NOT BEEN A GOOD START TO A NEW YEAR...ON JANUARY 31ST OUR TOWN, ALONG WITH 27 OTHER OKLAHOMA COUNTIES WAS HIT BY A LARGE ICESTORM THAT CAUSED UTTER HAVOC...MY WIFES VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED BY A LARGE PECAN TREE THAT BROKE; MY STATE CAR WAS DAMAGED BY A LARGE LIMB WHILE PARKED AT THE PERRY POLICE DEPT. ; WE WERE W/O ELECTRICITY FOR 13 DAYS AND CLEANUP OF DAMAGE CONTINUES TO THIS DAY( FEB. 21ST). I RECEIVED A NEWER STATE VEHICLE ( 96 FORD CROWN VICTORIA) TO REPLACE MY OLDER 92 BUICK WITH 160,000 MILES AND 4 DAYS LATER WAS ENROUTE TO MY PONCA CITY OFFICE AND WAS "JUMPED" BY A 100LBS. DOE AND CAUSED $5,000 DAMAGE TO IT... WHAT CAN I SAY? IT JUST HASN'T BEEN A VERY GOOD YEAR....NOW THE BUDGET OUTLOOK IS EVEN WORSE..DOC IS TRENDING A 55 MILLION DEFICIT FOR THIS YEAR...MOSTLY TO PAY FOR "PRIVATE PRISON " CONTRACT SPACE FOR OFFENDERS. IT IS SAID THAT THESE "PRIVATE" PRISONS SUPPLY SPACE AT A "REDUCED" COST THAN THE STATE CAN PROVIDE, BUT FAIL TO TELL YOU THAT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL NEEDS OF OFFENDERS IN THIS COST ALTHOUGH OUR COSTS DO INCLUDE THOSE COSTS....IF DOC AND THE STATE REQUIRED THE "PRIVATE" CONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE THESE INCLUDED COSTS, THE COSTS WOULD BE NEARLY TWICE WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE AT THE LOWER COST. YOU THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE "PRIVATIZATION" OF OFFENDER BEDSPACE AND THEIR COSTS WHEN THEY DON'T INCLUDE ALL THE RELATED COSTS THAT ARE INCURRED BY THE "STATE"(IN COMPARISION). THESE FACILITIES ARE NOT SO COST EFFECTIVE... ADDITIONALLY, THE NEW FY2001 COMMUNITY SENTENCING REPORT IS OUT AND AVAILABLE ON THE DOC WEBSITE...IT CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME THAT THEY PURPORT A 95% SUCCESS RATE WITH THE 2600 OFFENDERS THEY HAVE. THE COST FOR COMMUNITY SENTENCING IS NOW AT $2000 PER YEAR AND RISING...I WOULD QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF THE STATS...IT SEEMS THAT IF AN OFFENDER SENTENCED TO COMMUNITY SENTENCING COMMITS A NEW FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR CRIME WHILE ON THE PROGRAM , THEY ARE DISCHARGED FROM THE PROGRAM AND "NOT" CONSIDERED A "FAILURE" ....THIS IS MISLEADING..MY STATS INCLUDE ANY OFFENDER WHO COMMITS A NEW CRIME AS A "FAILURE"...AND YET , WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A 97% - 99.8% SUCCESS RATE PER MONTH...I WOULD, AS A TAXPAYER, QUESTION THE REPORTING OF "SUCCESS" FOR THE DOLLARS SPENT...PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS (STATE) CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENT SUCCESS RATES FOR $687 DOLLARS PER YEAR. WE HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR. WE BELIEVE THAT TREATMENT IS IMPORTANT; WE BELIEVE THAT EMPLOYMENT IS NECESSARY; WE BELIEVE THAT EDUCATION LEADS TO IMPROVED LIVES; WE BELIEVE THAT ANTI-SOCIAL ASSOCIATES ARE DESTRUCTIVE TO SUCCESS; WE WORK HARD TO ENSURE THAT OFFENDERS ARE GUIDED TO SUCCESSFUL OPPORTUNITY. IF OFFENDERS FAIL, IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE UNWILLING TO "DO" THOSE THINGS THAT WILL HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL, AND CONTINUE TO BE ANTI-SOCIAL AND ENGAGE IN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR THAT PLACES THE "PUBLIC AT RISK". WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THAT...WHAT WE NEED IS ADEQUATE PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH THEM....PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR AND ADVISE THEM THAT PROBATION AND PAROLE IS THE "BEST DEAL AROUND" AND SUPPORT FUNDING FOR OUR EFFORTS. DAVID L. HAMILTON, TEAM SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 5 PROBATION AND PAROLE PAYNE/NOBLE/KAY/ LOGAN COUNTIES |