On Thursday, November 19, 2009 Robert Longshore, Associate Member of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles held a news conference wherein he educated the media as to the effect of Correctional Incentive Time. Longshore gave the following example to explain the “Good Time Law” (Alabama Code Section 14-9-41): If you have a person serving a 15 year sentence where he or she has earned “goodtime”, he or she would end his or her sentence in four (4) years, seven (7) months and twenty-two (22) days. The misconception presented to the general public is that the person is on parole since he is out of prison before the end of his or her fifteen (15) year sentence. 

If a person has received the following sentences and can earn goodtime then the actual time that person will serve in prison is as follows:

15 years: 4 years, 7 months and 22 days. If a Judge gives a person consecutive sentences wherein each individual sentence is less than fifteen years then the following time will be served: consecutive sentences which total 16 years will result in the person only serving 4 years, 11 months and 5 days; 17 years: time served would be 5 years, 2 months and 18 days; 18 years: 5 years and 6 months; 19 years: 5 years, 9 months and 13 days; 20 years: 6 years, 26 days; 25 years: 7 years and 6 months; 30 years: 8 years, 11 months and 5 days; 40 years, 11 years, 9 months and 13 days; 50 years: 14 years, 7 months and 22 days. 

Robert P. Longshore is a native of Montgomery, Alabama.  He is a 1971 graduate of Huntingdon College, with a B.S. in Sociology and a 1975 Graduate of Troy University with a M.S. in Counseling.   Shortly after receiving his undergraduate degree, Mr. Longshore began his professional career as Probation and Parole Officer with the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles.  After two years, Mr. Longshore began service as a United States Probation Officer in 1973, serving the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama.  After working his way up the ranks, Longshore was promoted to Chief United States Probation Officer in the Middle District of Alabama in 1990 and served in that capacity until retirement in late 2000.

Longshore was appointed to serve on the Board by Governor Bob Riley on July 1, 2005, and confirmed by the Alabama Senate on July 21, 2005 during special session.

Since 1969, Longshore has served as proud husband to Gail Hartley.  Mr. and Mrs. Longshore have a daughter, Marie. 

 In the words of my dad, “You must honor the chair whether it is sitting, walking or lying down.”