A program in place at the McKean County Prison lets inmates earn
time off their sentences for good behavior.
The program, called “good time,” has been in place for four or
five months, explained Warden Tim Woodruff.
“It’s two fold,” he said. “One, it’s based on behavior,
obviously.”
He said the inmate must follow all the rules at the jail,
cooperate with the guards and not have any “write-ups.”
And the second part is based on compliance with treatment and
counseling recommendations.
“They have to participate in recommended programs,” Woodruff
said. “They have the ability to earn five days off their sentence
for every month they serve if they participate in their recommended
treatment and don’t have any write-ups.”
If someone fits the criteria, Woodruff brings the inmate to the
attention of the judge.
“Obviously I don’t have the authority to parole anybody,”
Woodruff said. “I send a memo to the sentencing judge making a
recommendation for parole.”
Judge John Yoder explained that the district attorney also has a
chance to review the recommendation.
“He (Woodruff) makes a recommendation to me, which is also sent
to the DA,” Yoder said.
“If they have any objection, we hold a hearing on it,” he said,
adding he had no further comment on the program, except to say most
counties in the state have a similar program in place.
“The warden and the court have worked on this program and we
have to defer to the judge’s discretion on whether its productive
or not because he’s the one in charge of that decision,” said
District Attorney John Pavlock. “It isn’t necessarily
automatic.
“It’s up to the judge whether to give them the good time,”
Pavlock said.
“The victim is notified by the jail about the release,” Pavlock
said. “Since the judge makes the decision, I would encourage the
victim to send their input directly to the judge.”
And if the DA’s office objects to the early release, he can
request a hearing. However, Pavlock said, “since this is
established policy, just making an established objection in every
case wouldn’t be productive.”
“If someone goes to jail and they are a royal pain and won’t
cooperate, cause trouble and commit new offenses, they shouldn’t be
on the same level as someone who goes in and cooperates, attends
programs, gets their GED, works with the guards and does community
service,” Pavlock said. “In every case, the judge has to structure
an appropriate sentence and has to consider everything.
“Ultimately it’s the judge’s call, however I can certainly
understand some victims’ frustration with the program and believe
that their concerns must be factored into the decision,” he said,
referring to a complaint by some victims that perpetrators are
getting off without their full sentences. “We have to make sure we
have a system that allows their input to be heard.”
While some critics may say the program isn’t giving the victims
a chance to see their wishes for punishment fulfilled, Woodruff
said the program should be looked at another way.
“If I were a victim, which I have been a victim of a crime,” he
said, “I would certainly like to know the perpetrator has gone to
prison and has worked instead of just sitting here, which they have
the ability to do.
“It encourages participation. People had been dormant down here
(at the prison) for so long. Now they are putting forth an effort,”
Woodruff said. “What are they going to learn in nine months that
they can’t learn in 7 1/2?
“It gets across the right message. Behave yourself, do what you
need to do, there’s going to be a reward in the end. That’s
certainly what we want them to take with them back into society,”
he added.
And so far, the program seems to be working well, Woodruff
said.
“To date, we haven’t received anybody back. Whether it’s going
to lead to a reduction in recidivism, that’s going to remain to be
seen.
“We’ve had several people who have been paroled early and
several … who have not,” he said. “You really need to work for
it.”
If the inmate messes up, “they’re either not going to get out or
some of their good time is going to be taken away.”
