Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., June 13, 2008 Sivan 10, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:25 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Social worker sanctions delaying prisoner releases By Ruth Sinai Dozens of prisoners due to be released have had to remain behind bars due to sanctions by social workers, now in their second month. The chairman of the parole board, retired judge Aharon Melamed, harshly criticized the fact that the government has not found a solution that would allow the social workers to return to work as usual. Advertisement The social workers union stepped up its sanctions yesterday, which included disbanding the committee that ruled which cases were urgent enough to merit an exception to the sanctions. Instead, these cases will now be referred to the Social Affairs Ministry for a solution. "We declared a labor dispute four months ago and nobody paid any attention. We started sanctions two months ago, and so far negotiations have not even started," Itzik Peri, head of the social workers union, said. The social workers are demanding another 1,000 be hired to their ranks in order to ease their workload. Only causing damage "The parole board and everyone else knows that welfare workers are in an impossible position," Melamed wrote last week in a decision to delay the release of a minor convicted of assaulting his sister. The minor could not be released because the social worker evaluation required in cases of family violence had not been submitted, due to the sanctions. Melamed also wrote that there was a good chance a social worker would have found the minor ready to be released, since he was well behaved in prison, apologized to and showed empathy toward his sister, and understood his acts. "Leaving him in prison is of no use and not a deterrent; therefore it causes a great deal of damage. This is only one of many cases that cries out," Melamed wrote. He instructed that his decision be passed along to the ministers of social affairs, finance and justice. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fo shizzle ma nizzle American rapper Snoop Dogg slated to perform in Ramat Gan. Late date Scientists revive 2,000-year-old date seed found at Masada.

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