BISMARCK, N.D. – Director of the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Colby Braun is opposed to Attorney General Drew Wrigley’s bill that would have people convicted of violent crime serve 85 percent of their sentences before they’re considered for early release.
Wrigley calls the bill “truth in sentencing”. It would also make sure people convicted of assaulting law enforcement, resisting arrest and fleeing law enforcement can’t serve their sentences on those crimes concurrently with other convictions.
The bill has been passed by the North Dakota Senate 28 to 18. It now goes to the House of Representatives.
Braun says North Dakota already has convicts serve 85 percent of their sentence for violent offenders convicted of murder, burglary and crimes involving a weapon.
“My only authority to release someone is according to the court or the parole board. The people that have a minimum mandatory or that they have 85 percent sentence, those are not the folks this bill actually impacts,” Braun said.
Braun wants to rehabilitate convicts to make sure they don’t commit crimes when they’re released from prison.
“Ninety-five percent of the people that come to us are released. Through that process, it’s really about giving people the opportunity to make some changes in their life because people come to prison usually broken and this is really about focusing on that. It’s the punishment of being there, but our job is to try and send people out better than they came in,” Braun explained.
Braun says if the bill passes, North Dakota will need more jail space.
Wrigley is concerned unelected bureaucrats with the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation can release inmates early. He says the department has said some of those inmates are still incarcerated, but adds that means they’re in a halfway house or transition environment.
“The testimony from DOCR, they admitted it. They walk away. I call it a prison escape, because there is no control when they go out there,” Wrigley said.
The bill leaves the North Dakota Parole Board in place. Members are appointed by the governor.
“The recidivism rate is really high. DOCR tells me 40 percent of the people in the prison are there because they’ve violated their probation or parole and they get sent back after long strings of outrageous crimes. They don’t tell you they don’t count people in federal prison,” Wrigley explained.
DOCR numbers show in 2014 there were 8,811 violent crimes against people or robberies in North Dakota. In 2023, there were 12,601 violent crimes or robberies.
