Senate Bill S1698

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S1698

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the correction law, in relation to integrating community
supervision programs into an individual's employment, educational or
vocational training schedule

 
PURPOSE:

To permit parolees who are gainfully employed to attend required
programs outside of their work hours.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends Correction Law § 201 (5) Section 2 provides an effec-
tive date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:
              

Persons released from prison to community supervision are often required
to take substance abuse treatment and other rehabilitative programs.

People on community supervision also usually hold down jobs or enroll in
school or training programs. Parolees who maintain employment are far
less likely to recidivate than parolees who do not work. When a parolee
is able to secure gainful employment, it is important to ensure that he
or she is able to work while completing necessary programs.

This bill would require DOCCS to allow an employed parolee to take such
programs during non-working hours, such as nights and weekends, rather
than continuing the current practice of requiring them to miss days at
work and risk being fired in order to participate in programs during the
business day. Many programs offer their services on days, nights and
weekends, or would do so in order to respond to the needs of their
clients. Requiring parolees to quit or lose their jobs in order to
attend programming violates one of the fundamental purposes of parole
supervision which is to help parolees secure employment and become
productive members of society. This bill provides DOCCS with flexibility
but makes it clear that it must make accommodations to ensure both
programs and employment are prioritized.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.