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Audit Finds Dead People Monitored by State Board of Parole

310 views · Published 2 October 2012 · 1:46 · Indexed 27 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

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By: Drew Bollea  A report from the Tennessee Comptrollers Office revealed some disturbing details about the state's parole program.It says parole officers were checking on people who were dead,  while not monitoring thousands of other living offenders. "Very, very sick to my stomach," said Elizabeth Erwin, a tax payer from Hamilton County, who was reacting to the results of the Tennessee Parole Board Audit."If they check up on the parolees that are out here now, then we would have less crime," said Erwin.An 84 page audit by the State Comptroller's Office found that Board of Probation and Parole employees were making annual arrest checks on 82 people who were dead."Parole officers were wasting resources researching either arrest records or whatever for offenders who were deceased," said Deborah Loveless, The Asst. Dir. of State Audit.Erwin was disgusted by this use of public funds."Take care of whats now," said Erwin,  "and don't waste our tax dollars."The audit also determined that 80% of living parolees, convicted of violent crimes or sexual offenses, weren't being monitored."The parole officers were not following up on the alarms that need to be followed up on as quickly as they should have," said Loveless.A parolee can set off an an alarm on their ankle monitor several ways. Tampering with the monitor, or entering a prohibited area, like a school, park or daycare can trigger an alarm. Not checking on more than 80% of those instances can put unsuspecting people in possible contact with convicted violent criminals and sex offenders."Those are the ones that are at the highest risk to re-offend," said Loveless, "If the officer is not doing that[checking on alarms], then yes, the community is at risk."As for Erwin, she would like to see her tax dollars going toward something positive."I want it to help the parolees that are out so that they may find a way to survive," said Erwin.

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