MONTGOMERYCOUNTY PRE-RELEASE SERVICES
COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
December 2, 2004
Attendance:
John Arney, Maryland Parole & Probation; Eric Brenner, Director of the Maryland State Governor's Grant Office; Robert Carter, Montgomery County Police Department; Thomas DeGonia, State's Attorneys Office; Marsha Engel, CART Manager; Norma Jennings, Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition; John Keating, Metropolitan Industries; John Lavigne, Public Defender's Office; Stefan LoBuglio, newly selected PRS Chief Administrator; Don Martin, Health and Human Services; Dr. Susan McFeaters, University of Maryland 'Baltimore Campus; Jane Sachs; PRC Unit Manager; James Shannon, Acting PRS Chief; Gail Starkey, MCCF Correctional Specialist; Teresa Still, PRS Assessment Services Manager; Avery Tabb, Montgomery Works; Arthur Wallenstein, Director, DOCR
Welcome and Introductions:
Chairperson John Lavigne called the meeting to order at 7:35 A.M. and members introduced themselves. The last to be introduced was Stefan LoBuglio, the newly selected Chief of the Pre-Release Services Division who begins his work on January 10, 2005.
Stefan LoBuglio 'Selected Chief of the Pre-Release Services Division:
DOCR Director Art Wallenstein introduced Stefan LoBuglio stating that he is a veteran county corrections manager joining the Department from Boston's Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. He has over twelve years experience as a senior manager in community corrections and inmate educational programming. Mr. LoBuglio also currently serves as a duty officer at the Suffolk County House of Correction, a 2000 bed correctional facility and has experience in operations, program management, labor relations, and public policy development. Mr. Wallenstein stated that Stefan is coming at a fantastic time as community corrections has 'clout''during President Bush's State of the Union speech, he spoke of re-entry programs and focusing on community corrections. Mr. Wallenstein stated that 22 individuals participated as panelists in the screening process for the PRS Chief position.
Stefan LoBuglio said he was looking forward to his move to MontgomeryCounty. He stated he was impressed that the PRS Community Advisory Committee has been in existence for over twenty years and that so many past and present community members have been involved with the PRS mission and goals. Art Wallenstein stated that the Committee was fortunate to have members like Eric Brenner of the State Grants Office for Maryland, John Arney, Chief of Maryland Parole & Probation in our area, and Norma Jennings of the Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition.
Davis Bill:
Art Wallenstein discussed the Davis Bill recently passed by the U.S. Congress. The Davis Bill speaks to a re-entry grants program. Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Justice Policy Richard Hertling and Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP Cheri Noland spent a full day reviewing community corrections at the county level at PRS.Mr. Hertling then met with staff members drafting the Reentry legislation and urged that counties be included.This will be a major policy change from the initial 'Going Home'Grants Program and his recommendation was added and was included in the final legislation that passed both houses and went to the White House.PRS played a very vivid and real role in this aspect of public policy development.
Mr. Wallenstein said he hopes this Bill will produce research studies and what elements of the reentry process appear to work 'what time frames appear as on point and relevant to county corrections and what are topics or areas of interest for further consideration. He stated that Stefan LoBuglio has written many articles, studies, and policy papers on community corrections and prisoner re-entry. Discussion followed that the time is right to review the nature of community corrections/reentry efforts and get into the best practices literature and our own experience to determine what appears to work and what program structures are most likely to show enhanced opportunities for prisoner success. In Montgomery County, the Public Safety Committee members continue to support the Pre-Release Services Division with a clear proviso that beds must be utilized and we continue to be clear that a minimum of 125 at PRS and 35 at CART are minimums to demonstrate that the enormous program dollars going to PRS are well spent and that as many appropriate candidates as possible are engaged by the program.Bed space utilization is an appropriate policy requirement and numbers are very reasonable and are within our capacity to meet on an ongoing basis.
Related Topics :
Escapes continue to be very low 'the lowest in many years and follow the five year downward cycle due to strict rules, immediate notifications, enhanced enforcement and very engaged prosecution with testimony from PRS/DOCR in every case before the Court. Any escapee from Pre-Release Services is strongly prosecuted by the State's Attorneys Office and the courts. The Department seeks state sentences for any offender escaping from PRC or CART as a function of our public safety responsibilities and the data provides the proof of the value 'PRS in total has gone from 13 '14 escapes to three and we are now in year four of these lower numbers. It also helps establish program credibility with the law enforcement community.
Program Evaluation :
At the last meeting, staff presented a superior discussion of attendance at a national meeting on community corrections and reentry and program evaluation. All agreed that simply using recidivism was not the full picture and it offered little in terms of the nature of program development and what elements appear to really facilitate reentry success. It was reported that this was a major topic of discussion at the conference. Given renewed interest in reentry program evaluation studies will be more frequent and we agreed to earnestly seek out national or regional/local evaluation studies that would assist PRS in its own program evaluation. This will be a priority for the coming year. The past is fine 'the present is over 'the future leads us to be increasingly data driven and program measure focused basing efforts on best practices that have solid research support. Finding this work takes effort as this is still new. Operating a good program that does not negatively impact public safety is fine and a key responsibility of good government. Focusing further on what works is harder and in reality more important as outcomes increasingly guide the work of government organization and public policy development.
Meeting with Secretary Mary Ann Saar:
Eric Brenner, Director of the Maryland State Governor's Grant Office, stated he attended a meeting with Secretary Saar's cabinet. The big emphasis this year will be new job training programs. Asked what is the per capita incarceration rate in the State, Mr. Wallenstein said he would check on it and let the Committee know at the next meeting. Eric Seleznow, Director of the Workforce Investment Services in MontgomeryCounty, works closely with our Department and Committee member Avery Tabb works for Montgomery Works which is a Division of the Workforce Investment Services. The Workforce Investment Services is part of the County's Department of Economic Development. Both Eric and Avery both started their Montgomery County Government careers as staff members of the Pre-ReleaseCenter.
Mary Ann Saar's cabinet has also created the Restart Program which Parole and Probation Agents meet and educate inmates, prior to release, on how to make it on probation.
Pre-Trial and Drug Court:
At the next Committee meeting, Mr. Wallenstein stated that Sharon Trexler, Division Chief of Pre-Trial Services, will be invited to speak about PTSU and the Drug Court. After an inmate completes the JAS Program at MCCF, he/she can be released and meet weekly with Judge Nelson W. Rupp, Jr., of the Montgomery County Circuit Court. The offenders must go before their sentencing judge and be approved to be part of this program. They must also be County residents with extensive criminal histories. The Pre-Trial Unit monitors the offender's progress based on graduated sanctions and treatment. Offenders being targeted are those convicted of Violation of Probation (mostly multiple drug charges). Asked if Probation Agents or PRS staff can make referrals 'John Arney stated 'yes'and if they can get more staff, more screenings and approvals could be accomplished. Circuit Court has hired Samantha Lyons to coordinate this program. John Arney said he would e-mail the program's guidelines to Jane Sachs. Don Martin stated that OAS is responsible for the treatment aspect with contracted County services. OAS provides a range of services to PRS residents/clients including psychologists, nurses, and assisting in job searches. The case management will be handled by Health and Human Service's Bonnie Boswell. Art stated that the Department provided $67,000 in budget money for the Case Management position. John Arney was asked about probation after the offender has completed his/her sentence. John said that VOP violators usually have no probation after sentencing, however with the sentencing judge's approval Judge Rupp can extend the probation up to five years.
Teresa Still said that Federal Bureau of Prisons places condition of probation offenders at PRC and asked if County judges could do the same. She stated that it could assist the Drug Court and PRS staff are adapted to work with these offenders - some offenders need more structure than the Drug Court provides. John Arney stated that this would be discussed as a last resort. Art Wallenstein asked Teresa how long it would take to screen/review a person under these circumstances. Teresa stated it would take about one week to do the screening and Mr. Wallenstein said it would need to be faster 'one day. He said that intensive intervention will be needed and that is what Pre-Release Services programs are made for.
Gang Problems:
John Lavigne asked Bob Carter about gang problems in Montgomery County. Bob stated that there are significant gang problems in the metro area, but fortunately in our area it is mostly gang member against gang member and within the immigration population. The gang called 'MS13'is a criminal enterprise for stolen car parts and drugs. Bob said the only way to leave the MS13 gang is to be beaten out, killed, or get pregnant. He stated that PRS staff should be able to assist those gang members who want out in having their gang tattoos removed, find housing, and job placement in a different area. PRC Case Manager Sylvia Hernandez and Mary Lalos of Pre-Trial Services are members of the Gang Task Force. Bob Carter said the Police Department has a presentation on gangs that is available to the public and County agencies and it could done at PRC whenever staff wanted.
University of Maryland Baltimore Campus Students:
UMBC student field practicums at PRC/CART have increased with the assistance of UMBC Program Director Susan McFeaters. These field practicums have expanded educational opportunities for students and have increased their training and research.
Community Advisory Meeting Dates for 2005:
All meetings are held on Thursdays at 7:30 A.M. at the Pre-Release Center in the outside classroom. A light breakfast will be served
February 10th
April 14th
June 9th
September 15th
December 8th
Adjournment: The Pre-Release Services Community Advisory Committee meeting adjourned at 9:05 A.M.
COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING
December 2, 2004
Attendance:
John Arney, Maryland Parole & Probation; Eric Brenner, Director of the Maryland State Governor's Grant Office; Robert Carter, Montgomery County Police Department; Thomas DeGonia, State's Attorneys Office; Marsha Engel, CART Manager; Norma Jennings, Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition; John Keating, Metropolitan Industries; John Lavigne, Public Defender's Office; Stefan LoBuglio, newly selected PRS Chief Administrator; Don Martin, Health and Human Services; Dr. Susan McFeaters, University of Maryland 'Baltimore Campus; Jane Sachs; PRC Unit Manager; James Shannon, Acting PRS Chief; Gail Starkey, MCCF Correctional Specialist; Teresa Still, PRS Assessment Services Manager; Avery Tabb, Montgomery Works; Arthur Wallenstein, Director, DOCR
Welcome and Introductions:
Chairperson John Lavigne called the meeting to order at 7:35 A.M. and members introduced themselves. The last to be introduced was Stefan LoBuglio, the newly selected Chief of the Pre-Release Services Division who begins his work on January 10, 2005.
Stefan LoBuglio 'Selected Chief of the Pre-Release Services Division:
DOCR Director Art Wallenstein introduced Stefan LoBuglio stating that he is a veteran county corrections manager joining the Department from Boston's Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. He has over twelve years experience as a senior manager in community corrections and inmate educational programming. Mr. LoBuglio also currently serves as a duty officer at the Suffolk County House of Correction, a 2000 bed correctional facility and has experience in operations, program management, labor relations, and public policy development. Mr. Wallenstein stated that Stefan is coming at a fantastic time as community corrections has 'clout''during President Bush's State of the Union speech, he spoke of re-entry programs and focusing on community corrections. Mr. Wallenstein stated that 22 individuals participated as panelists in the screening process for the PRS Chief position.
Stefan LoBuglio said he was looking forward to his move to MontgomeryCounty. He stated he was impressed that the PRS Community Advisory Committee has been in existence for over twenty years and that so many past and present community members have been involved with the PRS mission and goals. Art Wallenstein stated that the Committee was fortunate to have members like Eric Brenner of the State Grants Office for Maryland, John Arney, Chief of Maryland Parole & Probation in our area, and Norma Jennings of the Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition.
Davis Bill:
Art Wallenstein discussed the Davis Bill recently passed by the U.S. Congress. The Davis Bill speaks to a re-entry grants program. Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Justice Policy Richard Hertling and Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OJP Cheri Noland spent a full day reviewing community corrections at the county level at PRS.Mr. Hertling then met with staff members drafting the Reentry legislation and urged that counties be included.This will be a major policy change from the initial 'Going Home'Grants Program and his recommendation was added and was included in the final legislation that passed both houses and went to the White House.PRS played a very vivid and real role in this aspect of public policy development.
Mr. Wallenstein said he hopes this Bill will produce research studies and what elements of the reentry process appear to work 'what time frames appear as on point and relevant to county corrections and what are topics or areas of interest for further consideration. He stated that Stefan LoBuglio has written many articles, studies, and policy papers on community corrections and prisoner re-entry. Discussion followed that the time is right to review the nature of community corrections/reentry efforts and get into the best practices literature and our own experience to determine what appears to work and what program structures are most likely to show enhanced opportunities for prisoner success. In Montgomery County, the Public Safety Committee members continue to support the Pre-Release Services Division with a clear proviso that beds must be utilized and we continue to be clear that a minimum of 125 at PRS and 35 at CART are minimums to demonstrate that the enormous program dollars going to PRS are well spent and that as many appropriate candidates as possible are engaged by the program.Bed space utilization is an appropriate policy requirement and numbers are very reasonable and are within our capacity to meet on an ongoing basis.
Related Topics :
Escapes continue to be very low 'the lowest in many years and follow the five year downward cycle due to strict rules, immediate notifications, enhanced enforcement and very engaged prosecution with testimony from PRS/DOCR in every case before the Court. Any escapee from Pre-Release Services is strongly prosecuted by the State's Attorneys Office and the courts. The Department seeks state sentences for any offender escaping from PRC or CART as a function of our public safety responsibilities and the data provides the proof of the value 'PRS in total has gone from 13 '14 escapes to three and we are now in year four of these lower numbers. It also helps establish program credibility with the law enforcement community.
Program Evaluation :
At the last meeting, staff presented a superior discussion of attendance at a national meeting on community corrections and reentry and program evaluation. All agreed that simply using recidivism was not the full picture and it offered little in terms of the nature of program development and what elements appear to really facilitate reentry success. It was reported that this was a major topic of discussion at the conference. Given renewed interest in reentry program evaluation studies will be more frequent and we agreed to earnestly seek out national or regional/local evaluation studies that would assist PRS in its own program evaluation. This will be a priority for the coming year. The past is fine 'the present is over 'the future leads us to be increasingly data driven and program measure focused basing efforts on best practices that have solid research support. Finding this work takes effort as this is still new. Operating a good program that does not negatively impact public safety is fine and a key responsibility of good government. Focusing further on what works is harder and in reality more important as outcomes increasingly guide the work of government organization and public policy development.
Meeting with Secretary Mary Ann Saar:
Eric Brenner, Director of the Maryland State Governor's Grant Office, stated he attended a meeting with Secretary Saar's cabinet. The big emphasis this year will be new job training programs. Asked what is the per capita incarceration rate in the State, Mr. Wallenstein said he would check on it and let the Committee know at the next meeting. Eric Seleznow, Director of the Workforce Investment Services in MontgomeryCounty, works closely with our Department and Committee member Avery Tabb works for Montgomery Works which is a Division of the Workforce Investment Services. The Workforce Investment Services is part of the County's Department of Economic Development. Both Eric and Avery both started their Montgomery County Government careers as staff members of the Pre-ReleaseCenter.
Mary Ann Saar's cabinet has also created the Restart Program which Parole and Probation Agents meet and educate inmates, prior to release, on how to make it on probation.
Pre-Trial and Drug Court:
At the next Committee meeting, Mr. Wallenstein stated that Sharon Trexler, Division Chief of Pre-Trial Services, will be invited to speak about PTSU and the Drug Court. After an inmate completes the JAS Program at MCCF, he/she can be released and meet weekly with Judge Nelson W. Rupp, Jr., of the Montgomery County Circuit Court. The offenders must go before their sentencing judge and be approved to be part of this program. They must also be County residents with extensive criminal histories. The Pre-Trial Unit monitors the offender's progress based on graduated sanctions and treatment. Offenders being targeted are those convicted of Violation of Probation (mostly multiple drug charges). Asked if Probation Agents or PRS staff can make referrals 'John Arney stated 'yes'and if they can get more staff, more screenings and approvals could be accomplished. Circuit Court has hired Samantha Lyons to coordinate this program. John Arney said he would e-mail the program's guidelines to Jane Sachs. Don Martin stated that OAS is responsible for the treatment aspect with contracted County services. OAS provides a range of services to PRS residents/clients including psychologists, nurses, and assisting in job searches. The case management will be handled by Health and Human Service's Bonnie Boswell. Art stated that the Department provided $67,000 in budget money for the Case Management position. John Arney was asked about probation after the offender has completed his/her sentence. John said that VOP violators usually have no probation after sentencing, however with the sentencing judge's approval Judge Rupp can extend the probation up to five years.
Teresa Still said that Federal Bureau of Prisons places condition of probation offenders at PRC and asked if County judges could do the same. She stated that it could assist the Drug Court and PRS staff are adapted to work with these offenders - some offenders need more structure than the Drug Court provides. John Arney stated that this would be discussed as a last resort. Art Wallenstein asked Teresa how long it would take to screen/review a person under these circumstances. Teresa stated it would take about one week to do the screening and Mr. Wallenstein said it would need to be faster 'one day. He said that intensive intervention will be needed and that is what Pre-Release Services programs are made for.
Gang Problems:
John Lavigne asked Bob Carter about gang problems in Montgomery County. Bob stated that there are significant gang problems in the metro area, but fortunately in our area it is mostly gang member against gang member and within the immigration population. The gang called 'MS13'is a criminal enterprise for stolen car parts and drugs. Bob said the only way to leave the MS13 gang is to be beaten out, killed, or get pregnant. He stated that PRS staff should be able to assist those gang members who want out in having their gang tattoos removed, find housing, and job placement in a different area. PRC Case Manager Sylvia Hernandez and Mary Lalos of Pre-Trial Services are members of the Gang Task Force. Bob Carter said the Police Department has a presentation on gangs that is available to the public and County agencies and it could done at PRC whenever staff wanted.
University of Maryland Baltimore Campus Students:
UMBC student field practicums at PRC/CART have increased with the assistance of UMBC Program Director Susan McFeaters. These field practicums have expanded educational opportunities for students and have increased their training and research.
Community Advisory Meeting Dates for 2005:
All meetings are held on Thursdays at 7:30 A.M. at the Pre-Release Center in the outside classroom. A light breakfast will be served
February 10th
April 14th
June 9th
September 15th
December 8th
Adjournment: The Pre-Release Services Community Advisory Committee meeting adjourned at 9:05 A.M.