Senate Leadership
December 5, 2007
Senate Democrats Move Ahead With Plans for Parole Reform; Prepare for Possible January Special Session
Senator Williams urges all lawmakers to avoid partisan sniping
State Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) will join other state senators today in approving a resolution that would allow the Senate to reconvene in January for a special session devoted to criminal justice reforms in the wake of the tragic murders in Cheshire.
The resolution allows for a special session of the General Assembly to consider bills relating to: criminal offenses; sentencing and procedure; the incarceration, release and supervision of offenders; and the sharing of criminal justice information, including the costs related to such bills.
"Over the past several months, the legislature has undertaken a serious and thorough examination of our criminal justice and parole systems and has developed what I believe to be a comprehensive package of effective and affordable reforms," Sen. Williams said. "I cannot envision any special session occurring without first engaging in this type of necessary research and debate. Public safety is not the place to cut corners in the name of political expediency."
"Just eight days ago, Dr. Petit asked the legislature to put aside what he termed 'political considerations' and act only in the best interests of the citizens of Connecticut," Sen. Williams added. "I have taken that plea to heart, and I believe that the legislature can and will move forward to improve public safety without any political grandstanding."
Sen. Williams unveiled his comprehensive package of proposed parole reforms in early September. Those reforms were then part of a lengthy Judiciary Committee public hearing on Nov. 27 which considered 15 different criminal justice reforms.
Specifically, Sen. Williams' proposed legislation requires that:
- The terms of the existing members of the Board of Pardons and Parole expire on December 31, 2007, and that any Board member appointed after January 1, 2008 shall be qualified by experience in the evaluation or supervision of offenders, the provision of mental health or other services to offenders, criminal justice or criminology.
- Board members shall be full-time.
- No panel of the Board of Pardons and Paroles shall hold a hearing to determine the suitability for parole release of any person or hold a meeting to consider the recommendation of an employee of the board to grant parole to a person unless the members of the panel have reviewed the complete file on such person including, but not limited to, a transcript of any sentencing hearing required to be delivered to the board, a copy of any pre-sentence investigation report prepared, and such person's criminal record required to be sent to the Board.
- The Board shall provide each member of such panel with such complete file not later than seven business days prior to the date scheduled for such hearing or meeting.
- A reentry furlough may be granted only to inmates who have demonstrated good conduct and obedience to the rules of the institution or facility while confined, have a low-level security risk classification and are not confined for conviction of an offense involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person.
- Any inmate who was sentenced to a period of probation shall be subject, at a minimum, to the same conditions and supervision while released on a reentry furlough as such inmate would be subject to while released on probation.
- No reentry furlough may be granted solely for the purpose of reducing the population of an institution or facility. Any inmate who fails to return from furlough as provided in the furlough agreement shall be guilty of the crime of escape in the first degree.
- "Reentry furlough" means a furlough granted for the purpose of reintegrating an inmate into the community that allows such inmate to serve the period immediately preceding such inmate's parole release or discharge date in the community.
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