The February edition of Building Bridges is now available from the Prison Action Network.
Items covered in this issue include:
1. Activities for advocates, statewide
2. CFFCJP reveals proposal for 259-i revision
3. ICARE on Black History Month
4. Legislation Watch
5. Medical Parole releases
6. NJ's progressive criminal justice legislation
7. NYS Prisoner Justice Conference
8. Parole News
9. Prison Media: radio, Internet, movies
10. Prisoners of the Census - NYS coalition formed
11. Transportation to Prison
12. Women In Prison Project reports on Lobby Day
Of particular interest to parole reform is the summary of proposed changes to NYS Executive Law § 259-i, given by the Coalition For Fair Criminal Justice Policies, and quoted in detail below. [For comparison, the full text of NYS Executive Law § 259-i currently governing the procedures of the State Board of Parole may be found here.]
Here is the summary of proposed changes to Executive Law § 259-i, prepared by the Coalition For Fair Criminal Justice Policies.
Executive Law § 259-i describes the way the State Board of Parole must operate.
Section 1 has been removed because it established how to set minimum periods of imprisonment. That responsibility was returned to the Courts in the 1980's, so the Board of Parole no longer has a punitive responsibility. The Parole Board now is responsible for determining a person's readiness to remain at liberty without violating the law.
Parole hearings must take place with all parties in the same room, and it must be video and sound recorded. Copies of the recording must be made available to the Division of Parole and the parole applicant or someone representing the parole applicant. No one else will have access.
At least one month before the hearing, the applicant must be allowed to see all documents about him/her that will be supplied to the Parole Board. No documents shall be considered confidential, including mental health records (unless they can reasonably be expected to cause substantial and identifiable harm to the parole applicant or others, in which case the parole applicant would be told that such documents exist in his/her file, but won't be allowed to see them).
If the Parole Board denies release, they will be required to state in detail the reasons for the denial, and the specific actions, programs or accomplishments needed in order to qualify for parole release at their next hearing, and provide this information to the parole applicant within two weeks of the hearing. Within 90 days the Dept. of Corrections must provide access to the means for achieving the requirements specified by the Parole Board.
The parole applicant will have a rehearing before the Parole Board upon completion of the specific requirements, or in 24 months, whichever comes first.
At the rehearing, if the Parole Board determines that the requirements have been successfully completed, release shall be granted.
If the parole applicant hasn't completed the specific requirements within twenty-four months the Board will identify the deficiencies and list the remedies to be taken by the applicant, and the process will be repeated.
The Parole Board shall consider good conduct and efficient performance of duties while confined, and preparedness for re-entry and reintegration into society, in making their decision whether the person will be able to live and remain at liberty without violating the law.
In making their determinations the following things must be considered by the Parole Board:
1. the applicant's institutional record, including program goals and accomplishments as stated in facility performance reports
2. academic achievements
3. vocational education
4. training or work assignments
5. therapy
6. interpersonal relationships with staff and other sentenced persons
7. other indications of pro-social activity, change and transformation.
8. if it's a reappearance, the progress made towards the completion of the specific requirements previously set forth by the Parole Board
9. participation in a temporary release program
10. release plans, including community resources, employment, education and training and support that will be available
11. a deportation order
Concerning victim impact statements, the Parole Board may only consider statements about behavior which took place after sentencing and in which the applicant [or his/her representative] threatened or intimidated the victim.
