MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Monday signed Executive Order 725 to “promote public safety by establishing standards and accountability for Correctional Incentive Time.”
Executive Order 725 will allow for uniform standards for loss of Good Time to be enforced and enhanced procedures to be established for recapturing escapees.
Recognizing National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in an earlier proclamation, Ivey shared this message during the press conference Monday.
“In the Ivey Administration, public safety is at the forefront, always has been and always will be. Under my watch, we will continue doing everything in our power to ensure Alabama is the safest state to live, work and raise a family.
“Today, I am proud to announce an important step that will increase our public safety. This morning, I signed an executive order to make improvements to policies within the Department of Corrections, allowing Commissioner Hamm and the good men and women who work for him to be able to better enforce the law within those facilities.
“There are two major components we are addressing. We are making needed reforms to Correctional Incentive Time – better known as Good Time. We also empower Commissioner Hamm and Department of Corrections officials to better manage procedures on escaped inmates.
“Our action today, very simply put, keeps violent offenders off the streets, incentivizes inmates who truly want to rehabilitate and better themselves, reinforces the concept that bad choices have consequences and keeps our public safe.”
Before hearing from Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) Commissioner John Hamm, Ivey concluded her portion of the press conference reaffirming public safety as a top priority of her administration as she enters her second term.
“A week from today, we will be marking the start of our next four years in office, and we will not stop pursuing our goal of being the safest state in the nation and a sanctuary for law enforcement. Here in Alabama, we will protect our citizens. We will encourage rehabilitation among our inmates. We will enforce the law. We will ensure justice for victims, and we will always have the backs of our law enforcement,” said Ivey.
Her signature, initiating immediate action on Correctional Incentive Time, “ensures inmates will face clear, predictable and proportionate consequences for misbehavior.” ADOC will follow uniform standards regulating the loss and restoration of good time.
Misconduct violations will be categorized as low, medium, high or severe with the associated penalties escalating in accordance with the severity of the misconduct committed.
“The Department of Corrections is tasked with enforcing the Alabama Correctional Incentive Time Act, and I am deeply committed to ensuring public safety and the safety of our law enforcement officers,” said Hamm. “The governor’s executive order takes important steps toward improving safety while ensuring our ability to enforce the law.”
Executive Director of Victims of Crime and Leniency (VOCAL) Janette Grantham applauded the uniform categorization of misconduct violations and the improvement of ADOC’s ability to enforce escapee procedures as major steps toward improving public safety for all.
“Our goal at VOCAL is always to stand with crime victims to make sure criminals are more accountable and our communities are more safe. We applaud Governor Ivey’s efforts to make Alabama safer by establishing clear consequences for prisoner misconduct and by improving DOC’s procedures for handling inmate escapes. Her executive order is a huge step in improving public safety not just for crime victims but for every Alabamian,” said Grantham.
Alabama Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville, an “outspoken voice for inmate rehabilitation through apprenticeships and educational endeavors” and a participant in Monday’s press conference, shared his support for the executive order.
“The line of distinction between those in DOC custody trying to correct past mistakes and those gaming the system has been removed over the last forty years. This is not right for the victims of crime, nor their family,” said Chambliss.
Noting two members of his community are victims of the unrevised, pre-executive order version of Correctional Incentive Time, Chambliss continued,“Governor Ivey once again shows that she will not back away from the hard problems in our state. She and her staff have done yeoman’s work in establishing this executive order to have clear guidelines to both reward good behavior and to hold back those that are not learning their lesson. Going forward, this clear standard will dictate what will not be tolerated, and what the penalties will be for non-compliance.”
Alabama District Attorneys Association (ADAA) President and 15th Judicial Circuit District Attorney Daryl Bailey spoke of the imperative role accountability plays within a structured society and applauded Governor Ivey’s actions toward bolstering this effort.
“Being accountable for our actions is the hallmark of an orderly and fair society. When our actions violate others’ safety and security, we expect to be held accountable for that destructive behavior. When we work in a constructive way that contributes to our community, we experience positive rewards. This idea is especially important for our institutions that house serious criminal felons. For the safety of those working in the facility, other inmates and the community at large, a transparent system of rules and consequences is imperative,” said Bailey. “We appreciate Governor Kay Ivey’s efforts to address this critical issue and look forward to working on this and other important issues of public safety in the future.”
Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert further vocalized his support for the Executive Order after participating in the press conference Monday morning.
“Today’s formal action and Executive Orders are necessary for ensuring an added layer of public safety by identifying a clear, yet comprehensive set of guidelines aimed at accountability. I would like to thank Governor Ivey, Commissioner Hamm and Senator Chambliss for their work on these initiatives,” said Albert. “With more than three-decades in law enforcement behind me, on this day, National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, I would like to say thank you to everyone for their continued support of law enforcement here in the city of Montgomery, the great state of Alabama and across our nation.”
