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Article published Jul 12, 2003
More than 300 arrested in roundup

PAMELA HAMILTON
Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- More than 300 fugitives were arrested this week in the annual statewide roundup conducted by the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, agency director Jim McClain said Friday.
Agents arrested at least 363 people from July 7 through Friday during "Operation Clean Sweep," up almost 3 percent from last year.
It's the third year the agency has conducted a sweep in which teams of six to eight agents are sent out in the early morning hours to arrest convicted criminals who have violated terms of parole or probation.
Thanks in part to the sweeps and other stepped up efforts in the past three years, the number of absconders on the streets in South Carolina has been reduced by 3,500, McClain said.
"These are people who have already been given a second or third or even sometimes a fourth opportunity," he said. "They were allowed to live basically normal lives and yet again chose to violate the public's trust."
The agency and its 500 agents supervise about 35,000 criminal offenders -- 12,000 more people than are in the state's prisons, McClain said.
The number of arrests during this year's sweep increased despite fewer agents at the department. About 200 positions are unfilled as the agency handles losing a third of its budget in the past fiscal year, said Pardon and Parole spokeswoman Arnise Moultrie.
Fugitives arrested this week had been convicted of charges such as homicide, assault, criminal domestic violence and drunken driving, McClain said.
The agents often conduct sweeps late at night or early in the morning to surprise offenders.
"It ... is extremely dangerous work," McClain said. "These agents were not operating in the best parts of town. With a warrant in hand going into dark alleys, into dark houses you really never know what you get when you knock at these doors."
Most fugitives were arrested without incident.
In Spartanburg County, 32 fugitives were arrested -- more than any other county. None were arrested in Bamberg, Clarendon or McCormick counties.
Agents planned to make more arrests Friday night as "Operation Clean Sweep" wraps up for the year.