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Beebe: More probation officers, alternative sentencing needed Wednesday, Jan 24, 2007 By John Lyon Arkansas News Bureau NORTH LITTLE ROCK - Hiring more probation officers and making greater use of alternative sentencing would be effective ways to ease the strain on jails and law enforcement agencies, Gov. Mike Beebe told the state's sheriffs Tuesday. Beebe said his proposed budget includes funding to increase the number of probation officers employed by the Department of Community Correction. The increase will help reduce recidivism, he said, because people on probation will be less likely to commit violations if probation officers are able to check on them more frequently. "In the long run, it will make your jobs easier. It will make our jobs easier. It will lessen the burden on the taxpayers because there's less likelihood to re-offend," Beebe told law enforcement officials attending the winter convention of the Arkansas Sheriffs Association. The governor said he favors using alternative sentencing and drug courts to relieve the pressure on crowded jails. "Many of you in this room helped educate me as to the necessity of this, that some of these alternative sentences are the way we're going to have to go, particularly for nonviolent offenders and particularly for younger offenders, in such a way that we save some beds for the murderers and the rapists and the armed robbers and the folks that'll hurt you," he said. Beebe thanked Arkansas sheriffs for their support in last year's gubernatorial campaign, when he was endorsed by 68 of the state's 75 sheriffs. The governor said civility "has really gone up" at the Capitol since he and the 86th General Assembly were sworn in this month. He said legislators have been overwhelmingly cooperative and willing to meet with him and look for common ground on all issues. "Some people said, 'It's a honeymoon, don't get used to it.' But we're going to try to make the honeymoon last as long as we can," Beebe said. |
