Notice to new members intending to register - from January 9th 2012

blueeyedangel · #1 07-04-2011, 11:27 AM

Inmates who need to complete the SOT Program (Sex Offender Treatment) are going one to two years over their minimum parole date. Currently, the program is backed up and poorly run. If an inmate is serving time for any other crime that doesn’t require completing the SOT Program, not only will he go to parole on time but he can serve his last two years before his minimum sentence is up, as a C2 inmate and live in minimum custody housing outside of the prison.
There are hundreds of inmates serving a year or two over their minimum sentence simply because of the amount of time it took to get into the SOT Program. This is at a great cost to not only their families but also the tax payers of New Hampshire. Governor Lynch has a report from The Council of the State Government Justice Center called Justice Reinvestment in New Hampshire that states: Inmates are held in prison unnecessarily after serving 100% of their minimum sentence costing NH tax payers 20 million dollars a year.
On page 15 of this report it states: Waiting for someone to complete a program to parole is inefficient and costly, especially considering the programs done outside the prison are twice as effective at reducing recidivism.
Furthermore, some of the same women running the SOT Program also run aftercare programs for some of the men on parole. So why not parole inmates after completing 100% of their minimum sentence to do their SOT Program while on parole, providing they have no disciplinary issues during their incarceration. There are community based SOT Programs and therefore no need to keep warehousing these men past their minimum parole date.
Many of these men have gone to school, gotten their GED, learned a trade and completed many other programs while behind bars. Warehousing these men is not fair to them, their families or the tax payers of NH. It is not right to keep them in prison because the SOT Program is backed up, poorly run and not admitting the inmates in time so they may be paroled after completing 100% of their minimum sentence.
It is time to lets these inmates out on parole where they can be productive community members, support their families and stop wasting the tax payers money.

People to write to: Prison Commissioner (William Wrenn), SOT Program Director (Helen Hanks), NH Senators, Law Makers, your lawyer, local news papers anyone you think may help. Feel free to copy and paste this as is or add a paragraph about your son, father, relative or friend who is doing or going to do more than 100% of their minimum sentence because of the SOT program.

heidis4k · #2 07-07-2011, 03:11 PM

my son is also on waiting lists for the programs he needs to do and they are not the sot program...all programs are backed up in the nhdoc system not just the programs for sex offenders..there isnt even a drug related program offered in concord???

tinymom · #3 07-07-2011, 05:25 PM

This is the kind of "crap" that gets to me. They put all these stipulations on these men to complete these programs and then don't run the programs and these men end up being locked up longer then they should be. Maybe it is tme for another letter to let people know about this and the added expenses to the taxpayers by keeping these people locked up longer then necessary when they could be out working and supporting themselves not costing tax payers money. Considering the fact that "money" is so important to some of the more consrvative types I wonder how they would feel if they knew all the facts.

heidis4k · #4 07-08-2011, 11:04 AM

im sure they do not know the facts...i read through some of the new budget for the doc and i see no increase in funding for programs????

tinymom · #5 07-08-2011, 05:53 PM

And that is exactly what needs to be changed and where the problem is. These mandatory programs are to deal with specific types of "diseases" and in order to treat any condition you need to get to the root of the problem, and you can't if there is no money to fund a program.

alwayshopeful · #6 07-09-2011, 05:39 AM

Definately interesting facts. Not only are the programs run poorly but so is the spending.
What is the justice reinvestment doing anyways? I don't see any positive changes.. Does anyone else?
Extending prison time is costly and it doesn't take a math proffessor to figure it out.
I feel real changes for the system as they can't keep going the way they are at this time. I will have to be subject to change at some point.

alwayshopeful

heidis4k · #7 07-10-2011, 02:44 PM

we all want change and know it is drastically needed but the politicians just see dollar signs...they dont care how our son's come out of that place or even if they do...i dont see any change unless the polititians are changed..i know i am not voting for anyone whom is currently in office in nh...my son actually got into 1 of the programs he is required to do,actually the only one court ordered...living for change..it is an anger management based program..6 months 2 and a half hrs a day...he was a drug addict and his crime was drug related and court did not order any type of drug rehab??? prison is trying to make him take another program also??? will he ever get to minimum? will he be paroled at his earliest parole date???

tinymom · #8 07-12-2011, 10:19 AM

Only thing we can do is get the information out there and get involved with groups that want to change things. I'm in the process of composing a letter to mail to the "governor's stop drug and alcohol abuse program" run through DHHS. It is a totally inaffective program. I am still gathering information and statistics. I want to focus on the lack of short-term rehab centers and unrealistic demands by POs. Whether anyone will pay attention, I don't know but I figure if I have lots of $$$ signs in it maybe they will.

alwayshopeful · #9 07-17-2011, 12:01 PM

I too send letters etc.. Looking at all the facts and data. But don't let anyone kid you, they have all those facts themselves.
New Hampshire does need new blood in those seats and some people that actually look at the real problems. Some are so stuck on not thinking outside of the box.
Don't think for at any time that your letters don't mean anything, because they do. It just has to get in the right hands and that day will come.
I want to thank you and the others that continuously fight for the inmates and their families. Your not doing this in vane. We will prevail in some period in time./

Alwayshopeful

tinymom · #10 07-17-2011, 02:43 PM

In my younger years when I was very active trying to change bad laws I spent many a day at the State House giving testimony. I learned that the more you have to say, the more figures you can present and the more people standing with you, things will get done and changes will be made. Not always as fast as we would want but it does happen. I also learned large groups of people just being there whether they speak or not has a bigger impact. I won't stop trying to get things changed and I hope each day more people will get out those pens and start writing too.

alwayshopeful · #11 07-17-2011, 03:15 PM

Tinymom,
You are so right. Volumes speak louder. My pen is alway going and I have been doing this for 3 years now. Laws do need to be changed. It is funny I have been doing this for 3years this April and couldn't help but see the handwriting on the wall (per se) that at some point, something had to give.
From what I can see, it is not over yet. NHDOC can take that to the bank. The prisons are bottlenecked. Not just here but every state.

I heard on the news today that Florida has ended free underwear for inmates to cut costs. Now isn't that something. Denying something like that. CHANGES are needed. What state will do it first. When ONE starts others will follow...
Alwayshopeful

Cactus · #12 07-18-2011, 09:06 AM

Excellent thread!...

pmitch10 · #13 07-20-2011, 06:44 AM

Wish they could be so nitpicky with the salaries that go to those that make those kind of decisions! Starting with the congress.
Having accessibility to clean underwear for inmates is NOT insignificant. Maybe we could mail them a pair of dirty underwear and see who would be the first one to put them on!

heidis4k · #14 07-20-2011, 10:38 AM

i dont understand how they even come up with the figures of how much it costs to house an inmate here in nh..they get 1 roll of toilet paper per week,they dont get any cosmetic/shower supplies except for when they first come in,they feed them shit,there are no programs or rehabs,staffing is low and they recieve no medical and or dental care,even in life threatening situations it is minimal...the money is being spent on salaries not on the inmates!!! when will any of this ever change..what about those inmates whom do not have any outside support?/ who is helping them with their everyday basic needs? they are not getting them from the prison!!!

pmitch10 · #15 08-22-2011, 04:56 AM

Inflationary numbers.....whatever looks good on paper.

pmitch10 · #16 09-05-2011, 03:00 AM

The words cost effectiveness came to me.

sweety83 · #17 09-06-2011, 03:33 PM

if the dam system would put more trades for people to do mabie then they will be bringing more in plus if they had more programs then our loved ones can do there programs and get out a hell of a lot sooner then less money spent that way

pmitch10 · #18 09-07-2011, 04:31 AM

Good idea......prison trades that benefit the public in some way and the prison and of course the inmates themselves. A win, win for all.

waitingforD · #19 09-19-2011, 04:32 PM

I heard today that they are doing an overhaul of the program and professionals from Dartmouth will be taking over as of December. Meaning that the ones that need to complete it before their minimum will be able to complete it. I've got an email in to the public information officer to make sure.

alwayshopeful · #20 09-20-2011, 04:23 AM

That is good news. At least something is better then nothing. Hoping to hear more about the overhaul.
Thank you for that info.

Alwayshopeful

sweety83 · #21 10-02-2011, 12:42 PM

i hope like waitingfor d says that this is true with the overhaul and be nice to help getting loved ones back in society especially if they have done there time and just want to move on with there lifes

heidis4k · #22 12-15-2011, 08:09 AM

i heard programs are not starting back up in concord until april....my son's min parole date is oct...he completed all court ordered programs on his minimus but doc is requiring him to do an additional program ordered by them and its not even available??? he should have been in mimimum months ago...this is bullshit..they are keeping are loved ones there for the money...i got a lawyer..i am fed up with nh doc and they can throw me off this site..i dont care..im suing them...they suck and my son is not getting his due process..get ready for a law suit doc..here i come!!

pmitch10 · #23 12-15-2011, 04:18 PM

Good for you Heidi. Maybe it is because they are going to privatization and don't want to do or spend any more than they have to.

waitingforD · #24 04-05-2012, 07:40 AM

Anyone hear anything on this lately? All I've heard is that Kim Marsh, the woman who my LO sent his requests to, quit and the program's on hold. It being April though maybe they removed her as part of the overhaul. Oh and my LO said the new program will only be a 6 month and a 12 month class.

Anyone else?

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alwayshopeful · #25 04-07-2012, 12:38 PM

It didn't pass. Voted out