SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

The Committee on Correction reviews and acts upon legislative proposals affecting the operations of various state criminal justice agencies, including the Division of Parole. In addition, the Assembly is required by law to review and act on budget proposals funding the operations of the Division of Parole and other agencies within the Executive department. Since 1995, such decisions have become more difficult because the Division of Parole has discontinued the practice of submitting an annual report to the Legislature. As a consequence, this Committee and others responsible for acting on legislation regarding Division policies and practices are at a disadvantage.

Please see the reverse side for a list of subjects to which witnesses may direct their testimony, and for a description of the bills which will be discussed at the hearing.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committee at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to fifteen minutes duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committee will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Committee staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committee's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:

1. Has the Division of Parole implemented significant revisions in policies or procedures which have affected public safety?
2. Are parole officers provided with adequate resources (e.g. access to job training, substance abuse treatment ,etc.) to effectively manage parole caseloads?
3. What are the current pre-release procedures used by the Division to ensure successful community integration of persons released from prison?
4. What are the Division policies and procedures for managing sex offenders on parole?
5. What has been the result of the Division's use of merit termination of parole authority?
6. Drug law reform enacted in 2004 provided for reduced periods of supervision for certain parolees convicted of drug law offenses. How have these provisions been carried out?
7. The majority of persons placed at the Willard Drug Treatment Campus are parole violators who have had their parole revoked and were then restored to supervision with participation in the Willard program made a special condition of their parole. How many parolees are placed at Willard each year? What is the impact of Willard participation on parolees who successfully complete the program and are returned to the community?
8. The issue of parole officer caseload has been the subject of controversy and disagreement in recent years. What is the current standard caseload for parole officers and what formula is used to factor the workload impact of such tasks as parole investigations, intensive supervision cases, record keeping, etc.?

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Policies and Procedures of the Division of Parole are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

T.J. Conteh
Legislative Analyst
Assembly Committee on Correction
Room 508 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: conteha@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4313
Fax: (518) 455-4682

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