Probation. The word probation evokes so much controversy, and there is a vast divide between perspectives on the issue. On one end of the spectrum, many people believe that probationers are convicted criminals that deserve harsh restrictions to keep the public safe. On the other end, many people recognize that exclusion from public housing, education, and employment leads to recidivism. No one is talking about what life is like for someone on probation.
After serving fourteen consecutive years, beginning as a juvenile, I started serving a probation term. As you can imagine, after spending that much time incarcerated, the last thing I wanted to do was violate my probation terms. Following the conditions of Delaware’s probation system meant that I couldn’t help my family when a horrible accident left my stepfather seriously injured.
It started at home when I heard a loud BOOM! I sprinted down the stairs from my room on the second floor, past the living room, and straight into the kitchen. I ran so fast that the walls, lights, and railing for the stairs were blurred in my vision. I saw my mother open the basement door and go to the kitchen. I heard my stepfather, Thomas, yelling at the top of his lungs. The kitchen was full of steam, and tiny grey chicken hearts were on the ceiling, walls, windows, and Thomas's face. My ears were ringing from his shrieks.
The pressure cooker had exploded in his face.
My mom grabbed her husband, rushed him upstairs to a cold shower, and called 911. As my mom spoke to the operator, I saw a chicken heart fall from Thomas’s face onto the steps, steam still rising from it. I thought about the unimaginable pain my stepfather was in as his screams continued to echo throughout the house.
An enormous red fire truck parked in front of our house with all its lights on, and an ambulance and police car parked right next to it. People left their homes to witness the commotion from their porches and yards. The police began to ask my mother and Thomas what had happened. Fearful of being contacted by the police while on probation, Thomas yelled for me to go to my room. Even in an emergency, he was putting my needs before his own.
Thomas was rushed to Christiana Hospital as my mom rode in the ambulance. Not wanting to drive and be on my phone simultaneously, I called the rest of my family to inform them about the situation before heading out. That's when I received a call myself.
My mother informed me that Thomas was being transferred to Crozier Burn Center. But Crozier is in Chester, Pennsylvania, and probation prohibits me from leaving the state. Due to my mother's own health challenges, Thomas and I usually drive her places when we are able. Unfortunately, in this situation, I could not even drive her to the treatment center.
I would later find out that Thomas had third-degree burns to his face, left arm, and wrist; second-degree burns to his neck, chest, and ears; and minor burns to both his eyes.
I found myself in this predicament that made me frustrated with our current probation system. I did not have a single infraction, not even a parking ticket. Yet because of my probation, I could do little to nothing to help my family during this emergency.
I did not have a single infraction, not even a parking ticket. Yet because of my probation, I could do little to nothing to help my family during this emergency.
Delaware's probation system imposes the same 13 conditions on all individuals without considering whether those conditions are necessary. This makes it needlessly difficult for many to complete probation successfully without any real benefit to community safety. Not being able to support my family in their time of need felt like being punished despite following the rules.
Delaware must tailor its approach to probation to reflect each person's needs and vulnerabilities while imposing conditions only if necessary. A successful probation system prioritizes community safety and keeping people out of prison while helping them rebuild their lives. A good system shouldn’t prevent people from helping their families in a crisis.
The State needs to recognize the impact it’s having on probationers by listening to our stories and rethinking its re-entry practices. The probation system needs reform now, and by working together, stakeholders can better address people's complex needs and provide the comprehensive support and services that individuals and families deserve.
Senate Bill 7 (SB 7) and Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) tailor conditions to the individual and limit the use of some existing standard conditions, like substance use testing of all people on probation, that create unnecessary barriers to successful re-entry. Join us in calling for systemic change by sending a message urging state senators to support probation reform NOW.
