USPC NEWS United States Parole Commission March 24, 2003

Edward F. Reilly

It is with great pleasure that I announce that Cranston J. Mitchell was sworn in on March 13 as the latest United States Parole Commissioner. Commissioner Mitchell comes to the Commission with a wealth of experience and a history of leadership in the field of parole. Prior to his appointment to the Commission, Commissioner Mitchell served with the National Institute of Corrections with major responsibility for the Transition from Prison to Community Initiative. Prior to working at the National Institute of Corrections, Commissioner Mitchell served for eighteen years with the Missouri Department of Corrections as the Chairman and Director of the Board of Probation and Parole. He also worked as a counselor and administrator in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and as a police officer in the City of St. Louis, Missouri.

Commissioner Mitchell was a recipient of a Danforth Fellowship and was selected to attend the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. He was honored by the Association of Paroling Authorities International and presented with the Vincent O'Leary Award for his contributions to the field of parole. He was also the recipient of the Jonathan Jasper Wright Community Leadership Award given him by the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. Commissioner Mitchell is a native of St. Louis, Missouri and graduated with a degree in Political Science from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Commissioners and staff of the Parole Commission welcome Commissioner Mitchell and look forward to working with him in the coming years.

At the same time that Commissioner Mitchell was sworn in, I was sworn in as Commissioner for another term and re-designated as Chairman by the President. When I first began my duties as Chairman back in 1992 with a mandate to close the Commission, I did not anticipate how long my commitment to the Commission would turn out to be. The challenges facing the Commission have been many, but with new responsibilities for the District of Columbia, I look forward to seeing the Commission continue to improve its ability to serve all those who rely on this agency. I would, in addition, like to thank Judge Gladys Kessler of the Unites States District Court for conducting the swearing in ceremony. Her willingness to take on this duty is greatly appreciated.

With the impending retirement of Sam Robertson from the Parole Commission, we are also pleased to announce that Steve Husk has become the Administrator for Case Operations. Sam has done an outstanding job leading our hearing examiner corps during a difficult period as the Parole Commission assumed new duties for offenders sentenced in the District of Columbia. Sam will be sorely missed, but Steve is well equipped to fill this position. Besides having a law degree, Steve has eleven years experience as an analyst and hearing examiner and will no doubt continue to lead the hearing examiners in an exemplary manner.

Changes have been made to Case Services as well. I am very happy to announce the selection of Shelly Witenstein to head Case Services. Shelly has been a case analyst, a hearing examiner, and assistant regional administrator with the Commission, as well as a United States Probation Officer and unit manager with the Bureau of Prisons. His last post with the Bureau of Prisons was Chief of the Executive Secretariat. I am grateful to Helen Herman, Deputy Case Services administrator, for the leadership she exercised during the time when the selection process was underway. The Commission is extremely fortunate to have experienced individuals like Steve Husk and Shelly Witenstein to lead these sections, which are so critical to the mission of the Commission.

The next Public Forum has been scheduled for April 5, 2003 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church at 1313 New York Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. I strongly encourage anyone who wishes to address the Parole Commission to attend this forum. I am committed to making the Parole Commission responsive to the needs of the citizens of the District of Columbia. We have a responsibility to the District, and we will continue to keep the lines of communication open. Past forums have been fruitful, and I hope that this meeting will be equally productive.

Although the Parole Commission is a small agency, one of our staff has been called up by the Army to serve overseas in response to the situation in the Middle East. This situation has touched the lives of many servicemen and their families, as well as the agencies and employers for which they work. Many in the corrections field have been called to serve their country in the present crisis, and our thoughts and prayers are with all who serve their country in this most difficult time.

On a happier note, spring has finally arrived, and I am looking forward to the rest of the year. I know that much will be accomplished. Working closely with all those who assist the Commission in so many ways, I look forward to serving the citizens of our great Nation and of the District of Columbia.