The arrest of fugitive convicted murderer Peter Michael Kamm (pictured) in Alice Springs triggered a review of the processes of revoking a person’s parole and that person being taken into custody.
This is the timeline of events factoring in both Corrections and Police activity:-
Saturday, September 12.
7.44pm: Kamm is stopped during a traffic apprehension. Eight grams of cannabis is located in his vehicle and he is issued with a Drug Infringement Notice. It is later confirmed that Kamm is a parolee and a message is left on the Community Corrections 1800 number and is not accessed until Monday morning. (Police called the Corrections 1800 number with the belief that this was the after-hours on call number, it was actually the main number.)
Monday, September 14:
8.17am: Email and phone conversation made from Police Intel to Community Corrections Team Leader to report Kamm being pulled over on Saturday night.
11.55am: Kamm contacted and sent for urine analysis during his lunchbreak. Returns negative result.
3.50pm: Kamm attends Community Corrections office in Alice Springs to be interviewed about the events of Saturday night.
Tuesday, September 15:
12.12pm: Revocation report submitted to the Parole Board.
3.40pm: Revocation instrument is issued by the Parole Board.
4.00pm: Team Leader is advised the revocation instrument has arrived at the Community Corrections office.
4.15pm (approximately): Team Leader contacts Kamm to advise his parole has been revoked and that police will be taking him into custody.
4.38pm: Instrument is emailed to Police Intel.
5.15pm: Team Leader arrives at Alice Springs police station front desk to hand over hard copies of the Parole Board documents.
5.35pm: Confirmation that Kamm has escaped.
Time from Kamm being notified to confirmation of his escape was 80 minutes.
Tamper violation Tuesday, September 15:
4.51pm: G4S records tamper violation on Kamm’s tracker.
4.55pm: Community Corrections Team Leader is notified.
4.59pm: Compliance Officer despatched to site.
5.15pm: Team Leader arrives at Alice Springs police station front counter to hand over hard copies of the Parole Board documents and advise police of tamper violation.
5.35pm: Compliance Officer confirms Kamm is not at his residence, his vehicle was on site and the damaged GPS tracker had been recovered.
Time from initial alert to confirmation of Kamm’s escape was 44 minutes.
5.42pm: Front Counter member input details and advised Watch Commander Alice Springs by phone – BOLOF (Be On Lookout For) for Kamm and vehicle prepared and broadcast to all members in Alice Springs.
6.26pm: First available unit dispatched.
6.34pm: Kamm’s vehicle located, POI not located, search commences.
Kamm was apprehended without incidence at 5:40pm on Wednesday in the Alice Springs Eastside and taken into custody.
“The NT Police and the Department of Corrections have already discussed streamlining procedures,” said Police Assistant Commissioner Jeanette Kerr.
She said agencies are in the process of implementing an operational procedure that entails:-
• A single point of contact from NT Police to Corrections so that police notify potential breaches of parole from Police to Corrections staff in a timely manner.
• Corrections not advising a parolee that parole is to be revoked prior to Police receiving the revocation paperwork.
• A single point of contact from Corrections to NT Police when parole is being revoked, who will do a risk assessment and take priority action to apprehend the parolee.
“Both agencies are pleased that the matter was resolved in just over 24 hours; and as a result of the issues identified we will have more effective procedures in place,” said Tracy Luke from the Department of Corrections.
Monday, November 18, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
Does a traffic infringement and having a small quantity of weed mean that this bloke is likely to commit another murder?
Of course not.
Will spending the next five to 30 years in prison at taxpayers expense make him less likely to reoffend.
Nope.
Parole conditions that try to make parolees live an exemplary lifestyle are unrealistic and a huge waste of resources.
The offence here was murder.
If the man displays any hint of violence then slam him back in jail.
Apart from that let him live his life like the rest of us.
He has done his time and the Parole Board has decided that he has learned his lesson.
Clearly he hasn’t learnt his lesson. The sentence for murder is LIFE. The sentencing judge can and in Kamm’s case did set a minimum non parole period. Kamm completed his NPP, and then had to meet the Parole Board’s requirements to be released.
This does not mean that he is rehabilitated. He has not “done his time” as his time is Life. Parole for life.
If being rehabilitated means that he must live his life without infringing minor traffic rules and not use a common recreational drug then you are correct.
Ergo the taxpayer will have to spend up to a million additional dollars over the next 30 years in any attempt to get him to strictly comply with the NT Traffic Act and the Misuse of Drugs Act.
It must be difficult for a man who has spent so long behind bars to live his life in a way that others do not.
Why could not rehabilitation simply mean that the man will never again commit a violent act?
There is nothing in his behaviour to suggest that has not been achieved.
The million dollars should redirected into programs that will help to ensure that many others do not take his path.
Peter used to come to Montes. I was aware of his past. He didn’t drink very much, and was a very polite and friendly patron.
Matt, so Peter didn’t drink very much, and was a very polite and friendly patron.
That’s good to hear and your evidence is far more relevant to his likelihood of reoffending that minor traffic and drugs infringements.
Our parole conditions appear to have little or nothing to do with reoffending.
They contribute to the prison-crowding problem by sending many of parolees back to prison for unrelated offences and breaches of irrelevant conditions.
Parole conditions contribute to the high recidivism rate among parolees, while casting doubt on the capacity of incarceration to achieve either deterrence or rehabilitation.
It is hard to make the case that large numbers of prisoners don’t need to be behind bars when they can’t stay out after they are released.
The Parole Board should focus on monitoring behaviour that relates closely to a probationer’s risk of reoffending.
The outcomes will be more rehabilitation, less recidivism, reduced over crowding in prison and much less cost to the NT Government (and us).
And the likes of Peter Kamm can get on with his life.