My Parole Officer

     After my 1998 release from Oregon State Correctional Institution after over 10 years from being wrongly convicted of First Degree Rape, the highest degree of rape (I had refused earlier plea bargain attempts by the District Attorney to a lesser charge because I was innocent, went to jury trial, and lost) and my 1990 prison break, I have always had a good relationship with my PO's amazingly. One, Gary Dahl of the Marion County parole office, even said in a February 2001 newspaper article by The Statesmen Journal about my wrongful conviction that he did not consider me a sex offender. He took alot of heat for backing me up in the the press by those in law enforcement. Didn't he know that all convicted sex offenders were guilty? Anyway, all my parole violations since then were legitimate by my PO's. Either for drinking alcohol or refusing to register as an SO. Since a couple of high profile crimes committed by RSO's in California  parole has become a nightmare for parolees convicted of sex crimes, even those decades old that has nothing to do with their current offense. I now have to wear a GPS Tracking Shackle for my 4 years parole, can not step foot onto a school, park, ect..., am banned from living in 70% of Santa Clara Co., and have a curfew. NEVER before in my years of parole have I had such horrid parole conditions. It's a nightmare to be sure, it's also a pain for my parole officer, and a total waste of tax payer dollars. I did not like my current PO at first. He was on my ass from the get go and even violated me for missing my curfew already. My punishment was harsh - one year added to my parole. I'm trying hard to deal with all this hysteria over RSO's on parole and have come to realize that my PO has alot of pressure on him from not only his bosses, but also the media. If one of his parolees commits a high profile crime he'll probably be fired. A couple weeks ago I had a sit-down with my PO and his supervisor about my case and cleared the air a little bit. They may not believe I was totally innocent of rape in the first place, but I think they now realize I'm not some predatory creep who should probably be sent back to prison, and am going to comply with all my parole conditions. I have NO choice. My PO is going to have control over me for the next 4 years and I might as well try to get along with him as best I can or else I'm going back to prison. He even saved my ass the other day by reminding me to register on my birthday. I had totally forgot! I would of had my parole violated and be charged with a felony. I'd be spending years and years in prison if he did not call me up to remind me. I do owe him on that one. I don't have to kiss his ass, but I do have to follow my parole conditions no matter how insane and do what he tells me to do. If I don't want to go back to prison and lose everything all over again, he's the boss for now. Here's an article on California RSO's and parole officers http://www.correctionsone.com/arrests-and-sentencing/articles/2938472-New-Calif-parole-team-targets-sex-offenders/ .