Judges: Probation firm is fair

Private, for-profit probation services are coming under fire for taking advantage of indigents.

Local judges want to assure Floyd County residents that impoverished people aren’t being extorted, taken advantage of or thrown in jail for their inability to pay probation fees.

A flurry of lawsuits and accusations are being hurled at Providence Community Corrections, which the county uses, and other private, forprofit probation services around the country.

The suits accuse the contractors of piling fees on top of court fines and threatening poor misdemeanor violators with jail time if they don’t pay.

However, Floyd County Superior Court Chief Judge Walter J. Matthews and Judge Tami Colston said Friday that local probationers aren’t being extorted or thrown in jail for the inability to pay fines.

Colston said she’s aware of some of the allegations made outside of the county, but it isn’t happening here.

Both judges said they haven’t received any complaints from violators saying that their probation officers are mistreating them or extorting money from them.

Although the state still supervises felony probations, the government decided to let private companies supervise misdemeanor probations years ago.

The Floyd County Commission is in the process of terminating its contract with Providence Community Corrections and signing on with CSRA Probation Services, Inc. But County Attorney Wade Hoyt III said that’s because CSRA has bought out Providence.

Under the new contract, the probation agents will remain the same, Colston said.

“The people in our office are good people,” she added.

The contract with CSRA is expected to go before the County Commission on May 10. Hoyt said it will mirror the one the county had with Providence.

Colston said misdemeanor probationers are required to pay a $44 monthly fee, compared to felony probationers who pay a $32 monthly fee.

However, the judges routinely waive the monthly fee for those who can’t afford to pay it.

The four Superior Court judges trust the probation officers to tell them about a probationer’s financial situation, Matthews said.

If they can’t afford to pay the monthly fee, the judges waive it.

In addition to the fee, many probations typically come with a fine.

Both judges said they work with underprivileged people to find other ways for them to repay their debt to society, including community service and rehabilitation programs.

Matthews said it makes no sense to throw someone in jail because they can’t pay their fine because a jail stay just costs the state money.

However, Colston said the judges only work with those who actually can’t pay. The ability to pay has several factors, including the violator’s work ethic, she noted.

If a violator is able to work, but simply refuses to, Colston said she and the others won’t waive the fees.