Tag: Ron Alsbury

Montana Department of Corrections Sin of Dark Skin

The 2017 Montana State Legislature is attempting to pass House Bill 133.  This bill is intended to combat overcrowding in jails and prisons.  Governor Bullock recently signed into effect a package of bills attempting to combat overcrowding in jails and prisons.  In 2015, Senate Bill 224 created the Montana Commission on Sentencing to combat overcrowding in jails and prisons.  Probation and Parole Bureau Chief Ron Alsbury has left a legacy burdened with suffering, crowded jails and prisons and a huge cost to taxpayers. ( Reigned as Bureau Chief from 2003 – 2015)

Ron Alsbury is a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints (the Mormons).  Central to their religion is a “sacred” text called the Book of Mormon.  Within the pages of the Book of Mormon are the beliefs and commandments that members of the church strictly adhere to.

Ron Alsbury and I studied the same Book of Mormon.  This is what we were taught (the scripture included is from the Book of Mormon):  In the “Book of Mormon” dark skin is a sign of God’s curse, while white skin is a sign of his blessing.  The book tells of a conflict between two lost tribes of Israel, the Lamanites ( dark skin, text added) and the Nephites (white skin, text added), who journeyed to the New World and made their home in Mesoamerica.  The Lamanites sinned against God, and “because of their iniquity…the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21).   According to Church doctrine the Lamanites are the forefather of the Native American Indians. Church Apostle Spencer Kimble, in a general conference meeting, said that Native Americans who converted to Mormonism were gradually becoming lighter skinned.

The Book of Mormon tells of a great war between the Lamanites and the Nephites in approximately 400 AD and the Lamanites (dark skin) killed all the Nephites (white skin).  2  Nephi 5:24 “And because of their cursing…they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.  Enos 1:20 “The Lamanites…were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness, feeding upon beasts; dwelling in tents and wandering about in the wilderness with a short girdle about their loins and their heads shaven, and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax.  And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.”  Alma 17:13-14 “And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of the harvest, for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken.  And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labor for them with their own hands.”  This is what Ron Alsbury learned about the Lamanites aka the Native Americans.  This is from a sacred text strictly adhered to by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Let’s look at Ron Alsbury’s statisics while he was Probation and Parole Bureau Chief.  Ron Alsbury was Bureau Chief of Montana Probation and Parole from 2003 – 2015.  Let’s look at his statistics: From FY2009-2015 the raw increase of Parole violations was 241%.  The American Indian population accounts for an astounding  27% of the 241% increase. (see Montana Dept of Justice Arrest Data, FY2009-FY2015)  In 2003, the year Alsbury took reign, there was an immediate increase of 8% male return rate to prison (from 39% to 47%)  and an astounding 11% increase of recidivism rate (from 38% to 49%).  This is one year!!  ( see Montana Commission on Sentencing, March 2016)

I find it preposterous to believe that Ron Alsbury’s staunch belief and strict adherence to the sacred text of the Book of Mormon has anything to do with the astounding recidivism rate and probation and parole violations of the Native American population.

Montana need look no further than the statistics of Ron Alsbury.  Perhaps we need to take another look at Homeland Terrorism.

Montana Department of Corrections – A Shameful Failure

Gov Steve Bullock recently signed a package of bills to reduce recidivism within the Montana Dept of Corrections.  In 2015 the Legislature signed into effect Senate Bill 224 to review practices, policies and to reduce recidivism within the Montana Dept of Corrections.  A great deal of effort, money and time has been necessary to overcome Montana Bureau Chief Ron Alsbury’s failed practices, policies and secretive administration.

Ron Alsbury was Bureau Chief of Montana Probation and Parole from 2003 – 2015.  Let’s look at his statistics: From FY2009-2015 the raw increase of Parole violations was 241%.  The American Indian population accounts for an astounding  27% of the 241% increase. (see Montana Dept of Justice Arrest Data, FY2009-FY2015)  In 2003, the year Alsbury took reign, there was an immediate increase of 8% male return rate to prison (from 39% to 47%)  and an astounding 11% increase of recidivism rate (from 38% to 49%).  This is one year!!  ( see Montana Commission on Sentencing, March 2016)

Ron Alsbury is a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ( the Mormons).  Ron was raised in a culture, within the church, that dark skin was a sign of sin.  I believe it to be preposterous that Bishop Ron Alsbury would allow his religious beliefs to bleed into his responsibilities as Bureau Chief of Montana Probation and Parole.  Therefore, I again find it preposterous that the astounding and inequitable increase of American Indians that are violated and returned to prison had anything to do with these personal beliefs.

Ron Alsbury maintained a secretive policy of hiding probation and parole files. (see P&P 40-3 section F,  Probation and Parole field file management)  Probation officers are refused access to these files.  All the talking and meeting, all the bills legislated, and all the money spent preventing recidivism is useless and wasted when we hide the very information necessary for prisoner re-entry.  Private contract Pre-Release centers are not even required to submit treatment records, medical records or records concerning the inmate’s activity at the Pre-Release when the inmate is released to Probation and Parole.  Probation and Parole officers blindly accept the inmate without any knowledge of what transpired while the inmate was incarcerated at the Private Contract Pre-Release Center. Re-entry cannot be successful.  This failure to provide records falls squarely on Ron Alsbury’s shoulders. All the legislation in the world cannot correct policies and procedures as instituted by Ron Alsbury.

Can recidivism be reversed?  Yes, but only by understanding what is the true problem.  Files and investigations cannot be hidden from the convicted and from the probation officer.  Private contract Pre-Release Centers and prisons must be held accountable for maintaining and transferring records to assist in re-entry programs.  Imagine going to a doctor for a referral and not having any records.  The doctor would not be able to give professional assistance without records.  The same goes for a person released from incarceration without records.  There cannot be professional assistance without records.  Legislate away Montana, waste money and fill up those prisons.  Ron Alsbury’s tenure will leave a lasting impact on Montana and it’s families.  Secretive policies will always fail.  Recidivism will continue to rise as it did under Ron Alsbury and Montana will continue to pay the costs.

 

Was justice delivered?

    Thomas Sliwinski was found guilty in Helena Mt for bail jumping.  He is not a likeable person. However, our justice system should not be based on a likeable factor.  If the true story cannot be delivered for the unlikeable then justice cannot be served at all.

     In 1997, ( this seems long ago but it is the time frame from which he was found guilty for bail jumping and the crimes for which he was sentenced) Mr. Sliwinski met with Bishop Brad Peterson of the 2nd ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Helena MT.  Brad Peterson brought Mr. Sliwinski’s request for assistance to a Stake Welfare meeting a few weeks after meeting with Sliwinski.  Attendees of the meeting included Wayne Wetzel, Brad Peterson and among others, Ron Alsbury.  Ron Alsbury was at the time a probation and parole officer in Helena and in 2003 became Bureau Chief of Probation and Parole.  Mr. Sliwinski was seeking assistance, comfort and aid for himself, his two very young wives and their children which Sliwinski fathered.  Bishop Peterson presented to those present at the welfare meeting that Mr. Sliwinski was living a polygamist lifestyle with two young girls, that one of the girls at the time was 16 years old and the 16 year old had several children.  Along with others present, Ron Alsbury who had a duty to report child abuse and child rape, agreed to provide assistance, aid and comfort to Mr. Sliwinski.  This assistance, aid and comfort provided by Ron Alsbury allowed Mr. Sliwinski to continue the victimization of the girls involved.

    In 2003 Ron Alsbury was appointed Bureau Chief of Probation and Parole for Montana and that same year the very man that he provided assistance, aid and comfort to and assisted in the prolonged victimization of two young women was convicted of criminal endangerment.  In 2004, Probation and Parole, under the direction of Ron Alsbury, moved to have Mr. Sliwinski’s probation revoked rather than have him complete the required sex offender treatment as required by the court.  Due to several circumstances, as testified to in court during a recent trial, Mr. Sliwinski missed the hearing but was able to appear later that day.  The court refused to be present when Sliwinski was able to attend.  The court issued a bail jump warrant and Mr. Sliwinski fled the state.  A representative of Probation and Parole appeared in court at the recent trial of bail jumping with Sliwinski’s probation file that was incomplete, missing emails and communication between Sliwinski and his probation officer.  Apparently incomplete probation files is the normal for probation and parole in Montana.

    Probation and Parole Bureau Chief Ron Alsbury provided aid, assistance and comfort to Mr. Sliwinski and prolonged the victimization of young women.  Behind the scenes Alsbury was covering his actions by attempting to revoke Sliwinski’s probation rather than have his (Alsbury’s) aid, assistance and comfort disclosed in the sex offender treatment as required by the court.  Sliwinski was unable to attend the revocation hearing with the complete knowledge of his probation officer however those records are missing from his file at probation and parole.  Mr. Sliwinski did appear later in the day of his revocation as approved by his probation officer, however those records are missing.

    Mr. Sliwinski could not have known that the very person that supported him was also working to put Sliwinski in prison for the rest of his life to cover those actions. Mr. Sliwinski had every reason to believe that Ron Alsbury would continue to provide the aid, assistance and comfort that was given to him for years. Sliwinski’s decisions were based on the support provided by Ron Alsbury.  Mr. Sliwinski could only depend on his Public Defender to provide him with an adequate defense.  That defense was right under the nose of his Public Defender.  His Public Defender failed to make a simple phone call, something an experienced attorney would have done.  It all comes down to the fact that Mr. Sliwinski believed his actions were supported by the aid, assistance and comfort provided by the very man that was attempting to silence him by a lifetime in prison.

    Justice denied one is justice denied all.