Perinchief: Crackdown On Parole Violators
National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief today [Dec.2] told Parliament the Bermuda Police Service and the island’s court system had entered into a new agreement to crack down on parole violations.
Mr. Perinchief said while new legislation promised in the recent Throne Speech to “mitigate the risk” of parolees reoffending is being drafted, temporary measures will be initiated modelled on Boston’s successful anti-gang initiative “Operation Night Light.”
“I am pleased to advise this Honourable House and the public that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the Department of Court Services and the Bermuda Police Service to coordinate and formalise resources to proactively monitor and report violations or potential breaches of probation and parole orders made by the Courts and the Parole Board,” said Mr. Perinchief.
“Mr. Speaker, these two agencies have formalized an arrangement to coordinate regularly scheduled and unscheduled visits to the residences to ensure compliance with conditions of curfew,and provide accurate reporting back to the Courts and Parole Board on violations.The execution of this MOU mirrors the commitment of two of the hardest working agencies in the criminal justice system.
“I wish to also advise Honourable Members that this initiative has been modified from an earlier collaborative regime utilized by these agencies, a few years ago, that established initial success in monitoring compliance to curfews. It has also adopted some elements of a similar programme, known as Operation Night Light, that demonstrates success in the US city of Boston.”
The Minister’s Full Statement Appears Below:
Mr. Speaker, in the Speech from the Throne, the Government undertook “to mitigate the risk that an inmate granted parole will re-offend”. Mr. Speaker, the Speech referred to legislation to ensure a more structured collaboration between Court Services and the Bermuda Police Service.
Mr. Speaker, that legislation is forthcoming but in the interim period, I can advise Honourable Members that this Government will not sit on its collective hands and wait for the legislative process to wend its course. Mr. Speaker, action has been taken in this area and it comes as a direct result of the collaboration spurred by the work of the Inter-Agency Gang Task Force.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise this Honourable House and the public that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the Department of Court Services and the Bermuda Police Service to coordinate and formalise resources to proactively monitor and report violations or potential breaches of probation and parole orders made by the Courts and the Parole Board.
Mr. Speaker, these two agencies have formalized an arrangement to coordinate regularly scheduled and unscheduled visits to the residences to ensure compliance with conditions of curfew,and provide accurate reporting back to the Courts and Parole Board on violations.The execution of this MOU mirrors the commitment of two of the hardest working agencies in the criminal justice system.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to also advise Honourable Members that this initiative has been modified from an earlier collaborative regime utilized by these agencies, a few years ago, that established initial success in monitoring compliance to curfews. It has also adopted some elements of a similar programme, known as Operation Night Light, that demonstrates success in the US city of Boston.
Operation Night Light began in November 1992 as a partnership between probation officers in the Dorchester, Massachusetts District Court and Boston police officers in the Anti-Gang Violence Unit [which later became the Youth Violence Strike Force].
This alliance was created at a time when Boston was experiencing heightened gang violence, a rise in homicide victims under the age of 17, public alarm, increasingly bold behaviour of gang members in courthouses, and criticism by minority community leaders and judges of police “stop and search” tactics.
Probation officers worked independently of police, and curfews were not commonly imposed by the court and were difficult to enforce. In response to those problems, a few probation officers met informally with a few police officers to develop the Operation Night Light model as a more effective way of deterring juvenile violence.
Operation Night Light pairs one probation officer with two police officers to make surprise visits to the homes of high-risk youth probationers during the nontraditional hours. Operation Night Light is one element of a collaborative, comprehensive strategy that was implemented in Boston to address their escalating violent crime rates.
During the US Consul General sponsored Volunteer Visitors Programme in May 2011, members of the Inter-Agency Gang Task Force were acquainted with the Operation Night Light initiative from Mr. William Stewart, Co-Director/Assistant Chief Probation Officer, Trial Court of Massachusetts, who was instrumental in starting this initiative and implementing Boston’s Operation Ceasefire.
Mr. Speaker, the people of Bermuda will continue to see results from these and other collaborative efforts. The Inter-Agency Gang Task Force is working and its targeted efforts will provide effective solutions to the problems that threaten our quality of life.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
