Senator Volker Statement On New York Post Article On Ex-cons Rating Parole Officers

William T. Stachowski

"A recent article by the New York Post, "Parole Outrage," is another prime example of "what not to do" to improve our criminal justice system. New York State Parole Officers have one of the most daunting tasks in the entire criminal justice system. They are law enforcement professionals first, who often times are therapists and social workers, to some of the state’s most violent criminals. It is blatantly unfair, disingenuous and wrong for ex-convicts who have murdered, raped, assaulted, peddled narcotics and violated basic moral standards, to now judge and make recommendations of those who oversee their activities. Rather, if ex-convicts feel that the quality of their supervision is not good enough, I would be first in line to discuss funding for more Parole Officers, which will decrease their already heavy caseloads and give these ex-convicts the quality of supervision that they deserve and merit."