Paying ex-criminals to stay out of trouble?

[Sharon]

Some parolees and probationers would receive up to $25 a month for staying on the straight and narrow under a pilot program being hammered out by the Abell Foundation and the state Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

The idea is "to give some motivation to people to comply with conditions of probation so they don't get violated and go back to prison and cost society a whole lot of money," said Robert C. Embry Jr., president of the foundation.

"I think it's ludicrous that they're trying to bribe offenders to do the right thing," Rai Douglas, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3661, which represents parole and probation agents.

"The very fact that they're given probation, which is a gift to begin with, should be enough for them to appreciate their freedom and to continue to try to comply with their probation," he said.


What a crock of

"The very fact that they're given probation, which is a gift to begin with, should be enough for them to appreciate their freedom and to continue to try to comply with their probation," he said.

Or have their freedom taken away, it is that simple.

I cannot believe some rocket scientist thought of paying people to be good. Good grief.