Senator Larkin Passes Legislation To Protect Communities From Violent Felons

Senator Bill Larkin (R,C-39^th District) this week joined his Senate colleagues in passing legislation to protect communities from violent felons given early release from prison. The bill (S2720), authorizes the State Board of Parole to require a violent felony offender to serve his or her maximum term if they pose an imminent threat to society and also authorizes the withholding of good behavior allowances.

“This important criminal justice measure will help keep violent felons off our streets and out of our communities,” said Senator Larkin. “No violent offender should be released from prison if they openly admit they are a threat to society and no victim or victim’s family should have to hear that their lives were shattered because the State Parole Board’s hands were tied from holding them any longer.  This is common sense public protection legislation that needs to become law.”

Under current law, the Board of Parole does not have authorization to grant or deny a conditional release, and this becomes problematic when evidence exists that an inmate poses a danger to the community.  In 2011, convicted serial rapist Robert Blainey, who had been released early from prison on parole due to merit time earned for good behavior, sexually assaulted and killed a woman in Utica, Oneida County.  Prior to his release, Blainey was quoted in Parole Board transcripts stating, “Society is safer with me in prison.  I can sit here and tell you people I'm not going to do it, I'm not going to do it, but it's not going to make a bit of difference.”

The legislation allows the state to deny inmates a conditional release with parole supervision if they pose an imminent threat to communities.  It ensures violent felons serve their full sentence, without being given the opportunity to be released early due to good behavior in prison.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.