Here & Now

Jerome Dillard on Parole, Pardons and Wisconsin Politics

Zac Schultz:

Republicans are trying to make crime one of the big issues in the elections this fall. Republican candidate for governor Tim Michels recently received a pants-on-fire rating from PolitiFact for misrepresenting Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ record on paroles and pardons but that hasn’t stopped the issue from appearing in campaign ads.

Narrator:

Tony Evers parole commission has released hundreds of violent criminals early.

Tony Evers:

What people really do need to know is that a whole bunch of folks are mandatorily released from prison. The parole commission has no right to change that. They reach a date and they’re let go. Now, do I think there should be some changes over time? Absolutely, I think we should look at that.

Zac Schultz:

For more on this, we turn to Jerome Dillard, executive director of EX-incarcerated People Organizing or EXPO, an organization that works to reform the penal system. Thanks for your time today.

Jerome Dillard:

My pleasure, Zac.

Zac Schultz:

What’s the impact on formerly incarcerated people when topics like parole and pardons become politicized in this way?

Jerome Dillard:

Well, I think it’s the tough-on-crime rhetoric that worked so well in the ’90s and I’m surprised to see it being raised at this point in time but the facts aren’t there. And often times outright lies are being said about how our parole system works and all these violent criminals being released into our communities. The scare tactics, I know for a fact that the parole commissioner and Governor Evers and any other governor are following the law. It is law that when a person is sentenced 22 years ago, over 22 years ago, a judge had in mind what that sentence should look like. He knew they would be eligible for parole after 25% with good institutional adjustment and doing their programming that made them more susceptible to be in parole. The fact of the matter is not only is there parole but there’s mandatory release dates attached to those sentences. Say a judge gives you 80 years. I know that 20 years, I would be eligible if I behaved myself and at 75%, that’s mandatory release date for me.

Zac Schultz:

What is the impact on people who are trying to re-integrate into society and trying to start over when they hear messages like this?

Jerome Dillard:

You know, I hear their stories. Last year, we had a banquet with many, many or old-law, that’s what we referred to them as, old-law parolees. People who had been paroled and the success stories. To be honest with you, I feel if you do the research and if you look into the recidivism rates of those who were released on parole under this administration – I’m just going to stick to the last four years – none, none have been re-incarcerated for a violent crime. Most are out taking care of their families. They have jobs. I know so many personally from going into the prisons, doing talks with individuals for the last 20 years. So many of them I’ve met as young men in maximum security prisons who strive hard to change their lives. They thought about the environment they come from and some of the things they’ve done. They’ve repented and really adjusted real well in corrections and once they’re back in the streets, they’re thriving once they’re returned, they’re thriving in our communities.

Zac Schultz:

What would you like to see done to change either the way paroles are handled or the way the public understands them or the way the whole system works?

Jerome Dillard:

I think the public needs to be educated on how parole works. I think getting the stories, the voice of those who have been paroled 40 years ago, 10 years ago and where they are now would shed a little more light on to — people change and we all deserve a second chance. I know I did.

Zac Schultz:

You try and work with lawmakers to pass legislation. Does that become more difficult when this issue of how to make reforms within the system becomes politicized? That’s what said during a campaign season will roll around on the next legislative session?

Jerome Dillard:

We know there are many collateral consequences to having arrest and conviction records. A lot of what we’re speaking on is some of the collateral consequences like the right to vote. As long as you’re on supervision, you can’t cast a ballot in this state. We’re one in the Midwest that still keeps those policies in place that you have to completely fulfill your sentence before you can cast a ballot. The fact of the matter is, our terms of supervision, we’re the third highest in the country as far as how long someone is on supervision and many are on supervision for 20 years in this state. Two of my staff members would not be able to vote until 2042, 2044. Yet still they’ve been in the community working for a couple years now, paying taxes but still not feeling they’re part of America, period.

Zac Schultz:

For someone being released today, they’re coming into an environment with extremely low unemployment but housing shortages and high inflation. So what is it like? What’s the environment they’re coming into?

Jerome Dillard:

You’re right. Getting a job now is — a few years ago that was one of the main barriers is finding employment. And today, housing is a huge issue. That’s why so many nonprofits now are looking at how we can help them by housing them. You can have a job but if you don’t have stable living, how are you to maintain that job? How are you to maintain your hygiene and be sharp when you go to work if you can’t get a good night’s sleep? If you’re sleeping on a park bench or in a shelter, it makes it complicated.

Zac Schultz:

Your group has been around since 2014. We’ve got just a few seconds left. Describe the biggest progress you’ve seen on these issues in this time?

Jerome Dillard:

Well, I have seen some progress and I have to say this administration and the Department of Corrections have made some adjustments that they could, that’s within their boundaries or fulfilling what they could like expanding early release. The number of paroles — you know they’re saying they’re releasing all these dangerous criminals. I know the previous administration released more than this administration has but yet still there was nothing said because many of those had met their mandatory release date. I feel our parole commissioner did a great job. We can look at his recidivism rates. The recidivism rates of those who were paroled in the last four years and there’s — it’s amazing. It’s remarkable how low it is.

Zac Schultz:

We’re going to have to leave it there. That’s all the time we have. Jerome Dillard thank you for the time today.

Jerome Dillard:

Thank you, Zac. I appreciate you having me.