Details about this story

• Source: Louisville Courier-Journal
• Date: December 23, 2007
• URL: Read the story
• Bylines: Jason Riley
• Topics: Crime , Courts
• Data Types: Local Data
• Description/Excerpt: A Courier-Journal analysis of 260 shock probations granted to felons in Jefferson County last year shows that 120 have been arrested or charged again -- in crimes ranging from murder, rape and armed robbery to drug use and driving drunk. More than 60 percent of those new arrests were for felony charges. "Good gosh, that's a huge figure," said Harry Rothgerber, first assistant with the Jefferson commonwealth's attorney's office. "It says that shock probation is being used inappropriately." Judges agree the numbers are high, but they say that Kentucky's crowded jails and prisons are forcing them to look for sentencing alternatives. In fact, they say the state mandates it.