Governor’s Budget Favors Laptop Computers over Public Safety
January 20, 2008, JEFFERSON CITY, MO – In his fiscal year 2009 state budget Governor Matt Blunt is recommending that monies earmarked by state law explicitly for helping inmates successfully re-enter society be used instead to fund laptop computers and other administrative needs of the Department of Corrections.
“Our communities are safer places to live when an ex-offender is successfully rehabilitated and re-enters society. Governor Blunt is choosing to fund laptops over public safety.” Said Deacon Larry Weber, Executive Director of the Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC).
Last week in his state of the State Address, Governor Matt Blunt recommended that $10,454,180 be transferred from the inmate revolving fund to be used for a new offender information management system within the Department of Corrections. Governor Blunt likewise recommended that $2,473,848 be transferred from the inmate revolving fund for Probation and Parole mobile ability (laptops). Both of these requests were contained in the Technology Services Division of the Office of Administration.
Monies in the inmate revolving fund are primarily derived from the collection of a monthly intervention fee assessed on probationers and parolees. According to Section 217.690.3, RSMo, the intervention fee is to be used,
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“to provide community corrections and intervention services for offenders. Such services include substance abuse assessment and treatment, mental assessment and treatment, electronic monitoring services, residential facilities services, employment placement services, and other offender community corrections or intervention services designated by the board to assist offenders to successfully complete probation, parole or conditional release.” |
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Probation and Parole indicates that the intervention fee generates an average of $1.2 million a month for the inmate revolving fund.
The intervention fee was authorized by law in 2005. At the time the state of Missouri was in a budget crisis and many worthwhile programs were being cut. The sentiment in the General Assembly was that if ex-offenders wanted to have rehabilitation/assistance programs in the community, they, and not the state should pay for them.
“From the beginning this fee posed a financial hardship on many ex-offenders, especially those coming out of prison on parole with no source of income and other court ordered fees to pay,” noted Deacon Weber. “The state is taking money that these individuals paid to fund programs and services that would help them succeed in the community.”
The MCC recognizes the difficult workload of the employees within the Department of Correction, especially the work of probation and parole officers.
“We support the need for technological improvements within the Department of Corrections,” said Deacon Weber. “However, these items should be funded out of general revenue as an expense of state government. It is inappropriate to expend money designated for offender re-entry for purposes that benefit the DOC.”
In his 2009 budget Governor Blunt recommends that only $2.1 million be used from the inmate revolving fund to fund probation and parole services that directly impact ex-offenders in the community.
“Ex-offenders coming back to the community have critical needs such as housing, transportation and job training,” said Deacon Weber. “If the governor wants to promote public safety, he should spend the existing funds as intended by law to help ex-offenders become law-abiding, tax-paying citizens in the community.” |
