Sex offender supervision crimped by funding shortage

Saturday, December 3rd 2005, 1:23 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A funding shortfall causing problems inside prison walls also is hampering probation and parole officers trying to keep track of sex offenders and other criminals, officials say.

For several months, Gov. Brad Henry and other Democratic leaders pushed for action at a special session to beef up prison funding. The Senate actually met on Aug. 31 and approved $11 million to increase the salaries of correctional officers.

But the Republican majority in the House refused to go along, saying the problem could be handled when the Legislature convenes in regular session in February.

Henry had expanded a special session call, saying increased funding would help alleviate a prison staffing shortage seen as a contributing factor in a rash of fights, escapes and other incidents.

The safety of the public was at stake, the governor said.

Officials say the public's safety also is at risk because of manpower problems besetting the parole and probation division, which is charged with supervising people convicted of serious crimes, including rape and child molestation.

``We are fully aware there are public safety concerns, especially for sex offenders,'' said Ray Aldridge, a veteran probation and parole officer.

The problem is especially acute in rural areas, where ``you may have an officer that has 130 offenders, including eight to 12 sex offenders,'' said Aldridge, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 147, which represents probation and parole officers.

He referred to figures showing the probation and parole division of the Department of Corrections had about 260 officers statewide, while ``313 are authorized and we would like to have about 330.''

Kathy Cooper Moore, treasurer of the FOP local, is one of eight officers in Oklahoma County who have an average caseload of 55 or more sex offenders.

Supervising sex offenders is more difficult than other crimes because they require more assessments and more contact, including home visits. Paperwork is increased because sex offenders must take periodic polygraph exams and undergo therapy.

``It's hard to find officers who will supervise sex offenders. People don't want to volunteer for it. They don't want to deal with a sex offender, period,'' Moore said.

It takes a toll on officers, she said, recalling taking her daughter, now 19, to the mall as a young girl. ``I would see men looking at her and it was hard for me not to go off on them. I thought I knew what they were thinking and I didn't like it.''

Besides increased manpower, Moore said funding is needed to pay for therapy and polygraph tests for indigent offenders. ``You don't want a sex offender out there on the street who is not going to therapy,'' she said.

Payne County District Attorney Rob Hudson said that from his perspective it is vital that sex offenders be kept on ``a strong string'' of supervision, with conditions of parole or probation that are different from other criminals.

``A person convicted of DUI, a habitual offender, you wouldn't want him going to the bars. Similarly, you don't want a sex offender in possession of pornography or those type of things,'' Hudson said.

Aldridge said he thinks the probation and parole division is ``a stepchild'' and should be split away from the DOC, where the main emphasis is on prisons.

He said he has discussed the issue with lawmakers and others, including the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council, and is hoping there is legislation next year to take the probation and parole division out of DOC control.

``There's a lot of public safety issues that need to be addressed,'' he said. ``We're trying to do that internally and we have for years. But we have come to the conclusion that we can do a much better job if our main focus is on supervising offenders and not being in with their prison system.''

Jerry Massie, spokesman for the DOC, said the agency and new director Justin Jones are aware of the division's problems and some of them are addressed in Jones' plan to increase salaries and staffing.

He said probation and parole officers have been a part of the DOC since they were created. ``We feel like it would be more efficient and you would get better results if they stayed a part of the system.''