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Lee Harris
County Mayor | Shelby County, TN

Parole Hearings Expedited

Idea Category: Criminal Justice

Problem

Parole hearings are often delayed, which can significantly impact someone's life. My bill was inspired in part by the story of Mr. Robert Polk, who was on parole when a false charge was lodged against him. Despite the DA dismissing the charges quickly, Mr. Polk was immediately arrested and re-incarcerated for parole violation, where he had to wait more than a year for a parole hearing.

Solution

My bill provides expedited review by the board of parole, when requested by a judge or DA, to address cases when someone has been falsely accused of (and subsequently reincarnated) for a parole violation. Since the bill became law in April, we have become aware of at least one other case that warrants expedited review. Even just one case of an individual languishing in jail or prison when they are innocent necessitates the passage of this new law. We are excited at the prospect of folks being able to get out of jail or prison, allowing them to return to society and allowing our corrections system to become further unburdened. We also believe that this is a policy that could be widely adapted across the country.