FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE USP THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1995 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 U.S. PAROLE COMMISSION SETS KANSAS CITY, MO., MEETING WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The United States Parole Commission will vote on consolidating some of its operations and discuss procedural changes relating to federal prisoners at its quarterly meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, June 28 and June 29, the Department of Justice announced today. The meeting is open to the public. USPC Chairman Edward F. Reilly said the meeting is the first outside the Washington, D.C., area in about five years. Reilly said the Commission will consider shifting operations in three states--Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky--from the North Central Region headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, to the Eastern Region based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The Commission is streamlining many functions in preparing to phase out its operations by November 1, 1997, Reilly said. Congress mandated the closing of the Commission when it enacted legislation establishing a system of federal sentencing guidelines. Other matters that will be considered at the meeting include adopting a regulation pertaining to the advancement of a parole date for certified completion of a substance abuse program and revising the parole guidelines for fraud involving more than $5 million. Regional Commissioners also will present reports of activities in their areas and the public will have an opportunity to comment, Reilly said. The meetings will start at 9 a.m. each day and will be in the North Central Regional Office at 10220 North Executive Hills Blvd., North Pointe Tower, Suite 700, Kansas City, Missouri. The USPC has jurisdiction over federal prisoners who committed offenses prior to November 1, 1987. Currently, about 9,000 prisoners and 12,000 parolees are under the Commission's jurisdiction. The Commission grants or denies parole; supervises, in conjunction with federal probation officers, parolees and mandatory releasees; sets the conditions governing the conditions of persons on parole or mandatory release; issues summonses or warrants for parole violators; and modifies or revokes parole or mandatory release. In addition, the Commission conducts hearings and sets release dates for prisoners transferred from foreign countries. ##### 95-337