A recent rash of unrelated homicides allegedly committed by parolees released from Pennsylvania state prisons over the past two months led to calls last week from law enforcement, prosecutors and the state's prison guards for a full review of parole practices.

However, any changes to the state's prison parole system would have no impact on the county's system. Butler County's jail may have prison in its title, but Butler County Prison has no connection to the state's prison system.

In Butler County, there are presently 153 people out on parole after serving their minimum jail sentences, according to Douglas Ritson, chief county probation officer. He explained how most inmates, and those individuals released on parole from the county jail, were convicted of less serious charges that don't carry higher sentencing guidelines.

Anyone sentenced to a maximum jail sentence over two years is automatically transferred to the state prison system, according to Ritson, unless a judge makes a choice to keep the inmate in Butler County.

Ritson noted that unlike the state, the county doesn't have a parole board. Offenders who served their minimum county jail sentence will be automatically released, unless they have been flagged for bad behavior by the jail staff. “And that doesn't happen very often,” Ritson said of inmates being incarcerated longer because of bad behavior.

“Reoffenders aren't a common thing for us. We're just not getting the serious offenders at the county level,” he said.

Joe DeMore, warden of Butler County Prison, could not be reached for comment.

Calling the recent string of crimes “horrendous,” state Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel told The Associated Press last week his agency will review the parolees' history in prison and under parole supervision and try to determine if something should have been done differently.

The first charges, on July 9, spurred Wetzel's decision to order a review, he said. That arrest was Keith Burley, a convicted murderer who got out of prison in March and is now charged with killing an 8-year-old New Castle boy in neighboring Lawrence County.

Burley's arrest caught the attention of the state corrections officers' union and county prosecutors, who questioned why someone with such a violent history had been paroled. In the ensuing days, four other parolees were charged in slayings, most with connections to domestic violence.

But Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche said there is no need to review the county's criminal justice system. She touted the use of specialty courts such as Veteran's Court, Behavioral Health Court and Drug Court as ways to ensure recidivism rates remain low.

“We try to focus on ways other than jail to treat people,” Osche said. “We are all engaged at some level. That's kind of the purpose of the specialty courts. It's a comprehensive solution and you reduce their chances of reoffending.”

She noted that the jail alternative sentences don't mean that people are just released into the community.

“We're going to be supportive of these initiatives to ensure our communities are safe,” Osche said.

She pointed out the probation department keeps tabs on people once they're released from jail. Having served their minimum sentences, former inmates work with the probation department on programs tailored to an individual's needs. “Trying to compare what's going on at the state level to the county level is like comparing apples and oranges,” Ritson said.