So my brother and all his loved ones celebrated the day the Clemency Board approved by a unanimous desicion to recommend him for clemency. (Parole is unavailable to inmates who commited their crimes after 1993.)

Hold the phone... Governor Napolitano is a politician. It is political suicide to grant many early releases. Do you think he got it? HA!!!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

The board studied his case with a fine tooth comb. They found that he met the requirements for clemency. What the heck?

I looked into Napolitano's record for granting clemency. The answer? 5 to 10% of the time! The last administration? Less than 5%.

Why the hell do we have clemency in Arizona? Our prisons are so over-crowded that we are sending people out to prisons in different states. Wouldn't releasing people who the Clemency Board goes to great lengths to study and finally approve make sense from a practical point?

Good behavior, rehabilitation, remorse, unjustly sentenced means NOTHING in Arizona. Who the heck was the brainiac that decided to get rid of parole to replace it with this Clemency process? As far as I see it, it is a complete waste of tax payers' money for more reason than one!

The general public and their stupid, "Let's Be Tough on Crime" demands are idiotic. Are our streets safer since parole was abolished? Are we in deeper in debt as we continue to warehouse the rehabilitated, unjustly sentenced, etc.?

Clemency - yes, that is sensible, leave it up to a politician who is driven by the need for votes.

Sorry about the rant. I am just very upset about this cruel joke they call clemency.

Take care all.

peace,
doe

I am so sorry, doe. My friend was turned down last year and hopes to try again in Dec. 2005. Maybe we'll have a few more hostage situations by then.

Sounds like you could write a good letter to the editor of the AZ Republic.

Hope the sentencing laws will change for your loved ones and mine.

The Arizona Republic is just a stooge for the administration. The Phoenix Newtimes would probably be a better place to send your story. Good luck!

This is discouraging as he is working on getting clemency. It sounds like it will be a futile attempt. Sigh....

Thanks you guys! You know, I think I will do just that!!!! Something has to change. Instead of sitting around feeling angry and wishing for change, I should try to do something about it. Maybe I should write to my representatives too.

Peace,
doe

Hey Doe, Sorry he didn't get the Clemency. My husband also had a unanimous recommendation but she denied it. If she lets a unanimous just sit on her desk it goes into effect after 90 days, but no, she denies then around day 87 after we wait and get our hopes up. It's Cruel!

Where did you find out her record for granting Clemency? I have heard it is about 5 %, but is that 5% of the recomendations? We we went, only 3 out of 30 phase 1 hearings went to phase 2, so there is 33%. Phase 2 they only granted 1 out of the 4 hearings they had that day, that's 25% of 33%, so we were already down to about 8% of those who apply even getting to the Gov. If she only grants 5 % of then, thats .4%, or 1 in 250 that apply get it.

You are right, it is a big waste. She should trust the Board to know what is best since they really examine the case and meet with the inmate. All she does it look at a report prepared by her assistant and denies them all.

Very frustrating!

I am sorry to hear that you had to go through such a frustrating process. have faith that things can get better and I agree write a letter, make a fuss as this sounds pretty sad in regards to percentages..

I say write letters and get it out in the open for the public to see. This is ridiculous!! Between Sheriff Joe and Janet Napolitano, AZ has the hardest time with visits and making headway within the system...maybe it will take a lifetime to change, but I have a lot of years left in ME!!:angry:

I'm with ya' all the way!!!:thumbsup:

Cheryl

I got the numbers from the governor's office. It is wrong that they took parole away. Now we must depend on the governor... who is driven by voters. She has to be very careful as to who she grants clemency to - if the public found out that she was releasing drug dealers, sex offenders, murderers, etc, they would be very upset. The general public tends to adhere mostly to the "Tough on Crime" bull crap. Napolitano's office wouldn't give me a breakdown of the numbers of who she grants clemency to. I suspect that she grants it mostly to those who are applying because they are terminally ill.

We need to try to cause a change in the laws... between mandatory minimums, no parole, and a 15% break in sentencing, our prisons are doing nothing but getting more and more over-crowded. In some states people get 2 days out for every one day served on good behavior! Can you imagine that? And why not be more lenient... especially if there is no parole anymore.

Good behavior and rehabilitation means nothing in Arizona.

BTW, my brother is convicted of a sex crime. He dated a minor for two years beginning when he was 19 years old. (She lied about her age - she was 14 and said she was 16 - but that is legally irrelevant.) During the first year and a half, it was a sweet relationship and they were very much in love. Her parents approved (also legally irrelevant). The last six months, the relationship started having difficulties and finally he broke up with her. It was then that she called the authorities.

It is AMAZING and incredibly depressing just how many young men are in prison and must register as sex offenders for life based on similar circumstances. The clemency board was really sensitive to it and thought that it was ridiculous to label a young man such as my brother as a sex offender. They agreed that he indeed broke the law, but he is not a predator, rapist, or pedophile. Just a naive kid who made a very serious and stupid mistake.

Arizona has the toughest sex crime laws in the entire country. I heard on the news that if Michael Jackson was found guilty of the charges in California, he would be looking at a four year prison sentence. In Arizona, madatory minimums would dictate that he serve 15 years per count.

The reason I brought my brother's charges is that I also want to let people know that there is NO sex offender treatment available to sex offenders in Arizona. It has been suspended for revision. It is unclear when/if it will be reinstated. When it was available, it was not mandatory and there was a six month waiting period. The counselor came at very sporatic intervals. Some of the yards didn't even offer it!

Many of the guys that my brother knows really do have issues and serious sexual disorders that need to be treated. They will one day be released... with NO treatment!!!! Is that not appalling?

Sorry that I ranted so much. You guys are all so wonderful. Most people just roll their eyes up and say, "Well your brother shouldn't have done that." NO DUH!!! You here at PTO are all so reasonable, understanding, and supportive to everyone - despite the circumstances.

I want to thank you for making this a safe place.

Peace,
doe