Parolees need to accept responsibility to move forward on Parole Diaries

Sometimes parolees test their parole agents, but it typically does not serve them well on TV One's Parole Diaries.

It is certainly not easy being a parole agent. Those dedicated to the job have to be tough, yet understanding. Agent Denise Jackson is well-known for her willingness to help any client who is trying to make a change, yet she is just as willing to send any client who insists on breaking the rules back to a home behind bars. She can be an enforcer, a counselor, even a parent. This week, Agent Jackson is trying to get parolee Elania Lane to return to school and be a better mom to her kids.

“The buck stops with you,” Agent Jackson told 27-year-old Elania, not giving her any slack. Elania served one year for possession of cocaine, and has been on parole for 18 months. Her father is also incarcerated, and her mother left her and her other siblings when he was sent to prison, when Elania was approximately five years old. After that, she lived with various people. Now, her own parenting skills are questionable. When Agent Jackson visits her at a run-down home, she is not happy with the surroundings. She counsels Elania to get on birth control, and inquires about her post-baby progress—or lack thereof—in school.

Oh, No, Not Again

Parole Agent Tony Green comes face to face with Terry Clayton, a man he sent to prison for violating the rules of parole. Agent Green is a tough parole officer, and does not hesitate to send violators like Terry back to prison, as Terry already knows. Terry failed to keep in touch with Agent Green—a stipulation of his parole—so he ended up back in prison. Terry, however, felt like Agent Green had mistreated him by sending him back. And, he is starting back on the wrong foot by not staying at his approved residence on his first night back on parole.

Yes, Counseling is Serious, Charles

Agent Gerald Carter has a caseload of all sex offenders. This week, HIV positive sex offender Charles “Jessie” Masden fights Parole Agent Gerald Carter over rules. Charles was sent to prison for not telling sex partners that he is HIV positive.

“I have five and a half months left to deal with Carter, then I’m done with parole,” Charles said.

But, Charles is not taking the requirements of his parole seriously, specifically not going to his required counseling sessions, and potential prostitution has been alleged. And, Agent Carter is not the parole agent to try and manipulate when it comes to requirements of parole.

Can Agent Jackson get Elania back on the right path? Will Terry take responsibility for his own actions? And will Agent Carter get fed up with Charles and his attempted manipulations and send him back to prison?

Stay tuned.

Parole Diaries episode, “Life in the Fast Lane” airs on Thursday, January 17, on TV One at 9 p.m. The next new episode of Parole Diaries will air on Monday, January 21, at 8/7c.

Image: TV One

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