Court Opinion

ID: 9530661
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:02:17.301229+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:12.218584
License: Public Domain

RILEY, Judge,
dissenting
I respectfully dissent. I do not interpret IND.CODE § 35-38-2.6-6(b) to mean that credit time of a person placed in a community corrections program should be determined by the DOC. The Department of Correction has not adopted any rules pertaining to deprivation of credit time earned while in a community corrections program, Cf. 210 I.A.C. § 3—1—17(c)(9) and (e) (establishing procedures for imposition of disciplinary action on county jail inmates).
Because the community corrections programs have been established as an alternative to the department of correction’ it is necessary that the people monitoring the behavior of the prisoner while in the community have the authority to deny credit time for rule violations. The range of available options for community corrections gives the judge credible forms of nonprison sanctions. Work release is one of those options which emphasizes control of the offender outside the prison setting. Therefore, the sanctions for failing to perform those conditions that allow the offender to be outside the prison setting must be administered by judges locally. It would be within the inherent power of a judge to sanction an offender for violation of a court order.
Despite increased legislative restriction of judicial sentencing discretion, it is judges who remain primarily responsible for establishing sentencing policies. The judiciary is usually directly responsible for the sentencing choice and is held accountable for the consequences of that decision to the public. Judges have an interest in ensuring that the intermediate sentencing options available are designed, implemented and operated in a cost-effective and meaningful manner to accomplish their sentencing objectives. Furthermore, such programs will not be successful unless they enjoy the respect and support *685of law enforcement, the prosecution and the defense bar.
Intermediate sanctions must stand or fall on their merits as a satisfactory response to inappropriate behaviors and must convince the community that it is a good public policy. A greater array of community-based sanctions must be offered both to challenge offenders to learn to cope with the community environment and to recognize that any system of social sanctions must have a range of graduated responses to the severity of the offender’s behavior and to prior criminal history.
The purpose in enacting the “good time” credit statute was to encourage inmates to behave well while confined and to help prison authorities maintain order and control. State v. Eckhardt, 687 N.E.2d 374, 376 (Ind.Ct.App.1997). The same purpose is a necessary component to any alternative intermediate sanction that is community based.
I would affirm the trial court’s denial of his request for credit time for violating the terms of his work release.