Probation system director's last day is Friday

Raleigh, N.C. — The head of the state's probation system says his last day on the job will be Jan. 9.

Robert Guy, director of the Division of Community Corrections, is retiring from the post Feb. 1 after nearly a year of critical headlines involving his agency.

The probation system came under fire last year following the slayings of Eve Carson, the student body president at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Duke University graduate student Abhijit Mahato.

One man charged in both slayings and a second man charged just in Carson's death were on probation at the time of the two killings, but their probation officers failed to keep close tabs on them.

He told WRAL News on Saturday that Governor-elect Beverly Perdue's transition office informed him Friday that he would not be asked to stay in the position under her administration.

She will take office Jan. 10.

Guy, who began as a probation officer 31 years ago and has served as director for the past 12 years, has acknowledged his division has made mistakes but has said judges' decisions, limited funding and state laws often hindered probation officers' efforts.

"I love our chosen profession, and I will always love and cherish our work together and wish you all the best," he said in a letter to his staff.

"It has been a tremendous privilege to serve the people of this great for the past 31 years alongside each of you," he continued.

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OK Animal Lover. I will intensely take your comments and suggestions into consideration. Intensely.

Jermaniac
January 7, 2009 8:59 a.m.

Good riddance to him, I say. He should be the one in jail for his utter failure at his job which caused the destruction of many innocent families in this state. I hope he has nightmares for the rest of his miserable life. He can't even man up enough without putting some of the blame on someone else. It never amazes me how people in office who are supposed to serve the public can just get away with lame excuses for their failures. What would happen to the mechanic who changes the oil in a car and doesn't tighten the oil filter and days later the engine blows up for lack of oil? Would the excuse " Well, geeee, my hands were too slippery to get a good enough grip on it" let that mechanic off the hook? What if it happened 600 times a year? Ahhhh, politics, don't ya just love it?

scurvydog
January 6, 2009 10:00 a.m.

Jermaniac: I intensely disagree with you. Guy was in charge of this system for a LONG, LONG time & problems have always been rampant. HE did not do enough to help solve them, and now he blames everything & probably everyone around him, when in fact, the buck did NOT stop with him as it should have. He is obviously not a hands-on OR pro-active person to tackle problems personally. It's easier in state gov't to sit back & not do anything & pass the buck. Complacency, inefficienty & laziness are rampant - Guy looks like a fitting example of it. I CANNOT imagine him being haunted by this. It might bother him for awhile as it continues to be in the news, but that's it. AND I'M SURE he did not do the best he could nor did he do everything he could. But then, maybe it was HIS best & he got paid dearly for his lack of real effort.

Yes, the system is flawed; deal with it. Appeal to others. Go higher to get answers. Think outside the box.

CestLaVie
January 6, 2009 9:54 a.m.

You know,it is sad that it took a Prominant White Student, from a Prominant Almost White School, to get the attention of how poorly our probation system is causing innocent loss of lives. The other victims are not even mentioned with this young lady, like they don't even matter, what a shame! Yes, her death is tragic, but so are the other innocent people who have died at the hands of people who should have been locked away because of this failed, slack system!!!!!

Seeminglyopposed
January 6, 2009 9:28 a.m.

"..but their probation officers failed to keep close tabs on them."

I understand how important it is to monitor those on probation but unless an officer is with someone 24/7 how can they be expected to control a person who has a tendency and desire to commit crimes? A person can find a way to do evil no matter how much supervision is supplied.

More money and community involvement is needed. We have to stop insisting that other people handle the seedier side of society. We have to stop criticizing people who are doing jobs we ourselves refuse to do. People in protective services (corrections, police, fire) really do need more respect, help and money.