PAROLE: PROGRAM COMPLETION S.B. 1019: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bill 1019 (as introduced 2-1-06)
Sponsor: Senator Michael D. Bishop
Committee: Judiciary
Date Completed: 2-7-06
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Corrections Code to allow a parole decision to be deferred in order to permit a prisoner to complete a high school degree or general education development (GED) program in which he or she was enrolled. The bill also would require the Department of Corrections (DOC) to maintain lists of prisoners awaiting placement in recommended treatment and educational programs.
Parole Deferral
The Code prohibits a prisoner whose minimum term of imprisonment is two years or more from being released on parole unless he or she has earned a high school diploma or its equivalent in the form of a GED certificate. The bill would allow a parole decision to be deferred for up to three months to permit a prisoner to complete a program in which he or she already was enrolled. Reasonable efforts to complete the program or a similar program could be made a condition of parole.
Placement Lists
The bill would require the DOC to maintain statewide lists of prisoners awaiting placement in recommended treatment and educational programs. If necessary, the DOC would have to make reasonable efforts to transfer prisoners, within appropriate security classifications, to facilities in a manner that ensured that the prisoners had the opportunity to complete recommended programs before their first parole eligibility dates.
MCL 791.233 & 791.265 Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on State government. There are no data to indicate how many inmates would have their parole decisions deferred under the bill. According to the Department of Corrections, the Parole Board already defers parole decisions for the purpose of program completion. In 2005, 9,391 offenders were granted parole, 2,586 inmates completed their GEDs, and 2,720 vocational programs were completed.
The Department of Corrections would incur administrative costs associated with maintaining statewide lists of prisoners awaiting placement in recommended treatment and educational programs and with transferring prisoners to other facilities to complete recommended
programs. To the extent that the proposed waiting lists and transfers resulted in more inmates' completing programs as a condition of their parole, more offenders would be eligible for parole. To the extent that the proposed waiting lists and transfers resulted in more inmates' completing recommended programs, more offenders would have completed programs before their parole or discharge date.
Fiscal Analyst: Lindsay Hollander
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb1019/0506