USPC NEWS United States Parole Commission 12/3/02

Edward F. Reilly

      I would like to take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt holiday greeting to all of those who have supported the work of the Commission during the past year and to express my personal appreciation for the outstanding cooperation this agency has received in its efforts to meet its obligations and responsibilities. We have been truly blessed to have the support of so many outstanding individuals in the courts, the legislature, our fellow criminal justice agencies, and in the community. Your work has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated by the Commission.

      Much has occurred at the Commission over the past several months. The President recently signed legislation to extend the Commission for another three years until November 2005. The legislation also proposes an eighteen-month study to examine the issue of supervised release for District of Columbia offenders sentenced out of Superior Court. The Commission currently has the responsibility for setting the conditions of supervised release and for revoking supervision if circumstances warrant. The study will examine if the responsibility for supervised release should be vested in another agency. The Commission has pledged its full cooperation with the study, and we look forward to seeing the results of that effort. Whatever the final outcome of the study, the results will significantly impact the future of the Commission one way or another.

     In the meantime, the Commission has continued its effort to reach out to the public. When I became Chairman last year, I made it a priority to open the lines of communications with the citizens of the District of Columbia. The Commission held its second public forum on September 11 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. In addition to the Commission, there were representatives from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, the agency responsible for supervising offenders in the District of Columbia. Approximately 85 individuals from the community participated and asked questions. Issues were raised concerning the ease of getting information from the Commission concerning parole hearings, the availability of programs for those reentering the community, and expunging criminal records. The Commission has taken steps to address the concerns directed at the Commission, and we welcome suggestions for improvement from any quarter. We will continue to hold public forums twice each year, and we will be announcing the next forum in the near future.

     We have also worked over the last few months to facilitate communications between the courts and correctional agencies. In September, I hosted a visit by Commissioners from the United States Sentencing Commission to the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas and the Military Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. In November, I hosted a tour of the Hope Village halfway house here in Washington by Judges and court personnel from the District of Columbia Superior Court. Also in November, I arranged a tour of the Rivers Correctional Facility by representatives from the Mayor's office, the District of Columbia Superior Court, and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. Located in Winton, North Carolina, Rivers is a privately operated facility housing over 1,000 District of Columbia offenders. I believe that all of these trips have served to increase the awareness and understanding of incarceration and correctional programs.

     The trip to the Rivers Correctional Facility was also a meeting of a workgroup examining ways to use volunteers, primarily from faith organizations, to assist offenders leaving prison and returning to the District of Columbia. The workgroup is a joint effort of the Commission, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Faith organizations represent a vast untapped resource to aid offenders during the critical period of reentry and can do much to assist offenders, reduce recidivism, and promote public protection. I very much look forward to seeing how this effort develops.

     Finally, I am very pleased to announce that the Commission has hired six new Hearing Examiner Trainees to expand the corps of examiners and to replace staff who may retire in the next year. All six individuals selected have proven to be quick learners and will undoubtedly make significant contributions during their careers with us. These six represent the future of the Commission, and it is exciting for me to see the Commission bring in individuals with new ideas and a fresh perspective on the issues. The future is indeed looking bright.

     Once again, I wish all of you a Joyous Holiday and a Happy New Year. Our country enters the new year facing some uncertainty abroad, but I know that we will prevail in the end. The strength of our country is in its people guided by a sound leadership. Based on my experiences with all of you, I know that our country is in good hands.

Sincerely, Edward F. Reilly, Jr. Chairman U.S. Parole Commission