There is new support for a proposed law that would get rid of the parole process, keeping prisoners behind bars until they serve all their time.

State Attorney General Henry McMaster went before a committee Wednesday and explained why he supports the law.

In Charleston, 9th Circuit Court Solicitor Scarlett Wilson is also supporting the idea because she said it would make the community a safer place to live.

"It will give victims in our community much more certainty when violent offenders are sentenced," Wilson said. She said the change would keep offenders in prison longer.

"We know in law enforcement who our problems are with and they are generally with people who continually re-offend," Wilson said.

Although the proposed law is getting support from some law enforcement officials, other disagree and argue cutting parole would be too costly - and would put additional strain on jails and prisons that are already overcrowded.

Wilson says doing away with parole would have the exact opposite effect.

"There's another aspect to it as well," Wilson said, "and that's creating a middle court so that those who aren't violent - those who are first time or youthful offenders - have another alternative rather than clogging up the prison."

"If a judge thinks that five years maybe isn't quite enough, they need something on the back end for some rehab, they'll have options to order probation if they see fit to do that," Wilson added.

Wilson stressed that moving to having no parole would also send a clear message to criminals.

"When they hear that there is no parole, it could have an effect on those who would be criminals, but it'll definitely have an effect on those who chosen that line of work," Wilson said. "When we segregate them into the prison system for as long as possible, that's more time we're freed from being preyed upon by violent offenders."

Under the proposed law, non-violent offenders would undergo an 18-month program instead of going to prison.

The measure is still in committee, but already has the support from several lawmakers who yesterday voted to adjourn debate until next week.

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