9AA2B61F327821B28725843F005D5C5C Hearing Summary

Vance Roper, Joint Budget Committee Staff, stressed that various departments involved in the criminal justice system do not communicate or share data with each other, which results in communication problems and system delays. He further discussed differentiating vacancy rates and types of beds. 

Committee members asked questions about how to best apply different and varying prison population projections.  The importance of re-entry services was also discussed.

Greg Sobetski, Legislative Council Staff, presented the prison population forecast he prepares annually (Attachment C) and explained the methodology used.  He discussed discrepancies between actual prison population and projections and noted that the decline in prison population may be attributable in part to decisions made at the front-end (arrests, filings, prosecutions, etc.).  The committee asked questions about and discussed jail backlog for detainees awaiting entry into DOC.

Mr. Sobetski continued with his presentation and discussed increases in the female prison population, prison and non-prison jurisdicational populations in relation to capacity, new court commitments, and discretionary parole releases. 

Mr. Sobetski explained that the General Assembly generally attempts to manage the prison population by passing measures relating to releases and parole.  The committee discussed increased communication between DOC and the Parole Board.  Mr. Sobetski noted some of the issues and inaccuracies involved with disaggregating data for forecasts.  He concluded his presentation, and committee members expressed interest in an on-going analysis in this area.