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| Notification of Killers on Work Details Needed |
| By The Decatur Daily |
| Published: 11/07/2005 |
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Alabama law enforcement authorities want full disclosure when inmates convicted of violent crimes work in their communities. After the state listed three murderers on escape from June to September, Gov. Bob Riley ordered a review of inmate work eligibility and moved 275 convicted killers from state work programs. Alabama's Decatur Community Based Facility sent 13 of these inmates back to prison, including six convicted of murder. The Morgan County district attorney, sheriff and Decatur police chief said they want to know when the state places convicted murderers in their communities. "My main concern is that they notify local law enforcement here," District Attorney Bob Burrell said. "I would also appreciate a courtesy notice." Sheriff Greg Bartlett and Police Chief Joel Gilliam suspected the state housed violent offenders in Decatur. "It was my understanding only those convicted of nonviolent crimes would be there," Gilliam said. "And those that worked there would be placed in areas not in contact with the general public." Although the Decatur facility does a good job alerting authorities to escapes, Gilliam said, officers have found (work-release) prisoners milling about. "We should know who's out in the community," Gilliam said. "We've found (prisoners) in places they ought not to be, like in a park where marijuana is known to be sold. We find them wandering the neighborhood in chance encounters." A DOC spokesman said the state notifies district attorneys when it places prisoners on work-release, but only those in counties where the prisoner was convicted. Of the 275 inmates moved to prisons, the state removed 28 from work-release centers and the remainder from community work centers. The state makes no notification when it places prisoners in community work centers. There, prisoners don't hold outside jobs and work in prison clothes on work details. After two inmates sentenced to life for murder convictions escaped from work details in Childersburg, Talladega District Attorney Steve Giddens said he disagreed with the practice. "I didn't know they were here to begin with," Giddens said of the escapees. "I would just like to know if convicted murderers are placed here. I have to answer to the citizens of this county if they break into a home or, God forbid, hurt somebody." |
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