|
North Carolina's
Legislative Criminal Justice Policy Brief
|
|
NC Probation Gets More $$$
$28 million increase for Probation
by Lao Rubert, Senior Director of Policy & Special Projects
Last week the Governor announced $28 million in increased spending for probation. Two of the best recommendations in the Governor's package are new training dollars and continuous posting of all new positions.
Lengthy training cycles, 6 months at a minimum) and ongoing vacancies have been a critical problem within probation. Durham County, for example, still has 7 open positions even though new funds were allocated by the General Assembly for Durham and Wake in the 2008 budget.
Two more steps need to be taken to clear up the vacancy and training problems before millions of new dollars are invested in probation.
-
Department of Justice and Department of Corrections officials need to meet and iron out all delays that are part of the training and standards process.
-
State personnel needs to take a very close look at how the merit pay system slows down hiring of new probation officers. We have repeatedly heard that excellent young criminal justice grads can not make it into the personnel pool for probation. There needs to be an override or a change in that policy when it comes to EXISTING probation positions that need to be filled.
In an economy where people are losing their jobs and their homes, legislators need to be certain that existing vacancies can be filled and trained in a timely manner before adding new positions. At a time when every job is at a premium, there's no reason vacancies should not be filled - even if pay scales are not what they should be.
Pay scales in probation - like many other areas of state government - need to be addressed. Still, pay scales are not the only reason for vacancies in probation - particularly in this economy. Recommendations for increasing Chief PPOs and Intake officers need to be looked at, but all expansion funds need to be considered in the context of proposed drastic cuts and eliminations in programs and services.
The actual breakout in the Governor's proposed expansion spending for probation is as follows:
- Additional probation and parole officers to ensure effective case management: 2009-2010: $5,986,277; 2010-2011: $7,990,156
- Additional chief probation and parole officers to increase supervision and reduce caseload: 29 additional chief probation and parole officers to bring the officer/supervisor ratio to approximately 7:1. 2009-2010: $2,545,790; 2010-2011: $2,246,214
- Raising pay grade for probation/parole officers: increase the pay grade for 1,048 probation and parole officers, to help raise recruitment and retention. 2009-2010: $2,383,273; 2010-2011: $2,383,273
- Additional and more efficient training: an additional four correctional training instructors and a correctional training coordinator. 2009-2010: $239,525; 2010-2011: $380,270
- VIPER Radios for improved communications: purchase of VIPER radios through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to enable increased communication with law enforcement. 2009-2010: $1,264,689
- Community corrections intake coordinators for urban areas: funding of new community corrections intake coordinator positions through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. These new intake workers will perform court duties in urban areas where court dockets currently require significant time commitments from probation and parole officers. 2009-2010: $1,235,311
To receive a list of the most recent budget cuts, please contact Lao Rubert.
|
Hoping for a Lil' Pot at the End of the Rainbow
Money to Watch while Waiting on Perdue's 1st Budget
Stock Photo: Linda Hayes (L), Secretary NC Dept of Juvenile Justice
NC Governor Beverly Perdue (R) by Lao Rubert, Senior Director of Policy & Special Projects
Governor Beverly Perdue's budget is scheduled to be released on Saint Patrick's Day. We'll be keeping a close eye on the Governor's recommendations and hope that existing programs that save dollars and reduce recidivism are kept in the budget before any programs are expanded. While we wait to find out which programs are dressed in green versus those that get pinched, CJPC is tracking federal stimulus dollars that could be very helpful in North Carolina.
Federal Recovery Money Aimed at Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Agencies - As the federal stimulus money begins to flow into the state, at least $85 million dollars in Byrne-JAG (Justice Assistance Grants) will be aimed specifically at law enforcement and criminal justice activities. North Carolina will be receiving more Bryne-JAG dollars to appropriate both through the Crime Commission allocation process and through the local government process. Since all the existing community-based corrections programs have been placed on Gov. Perdue's list as programs in jeopardy of complete elimination, it's important to stay informed about the federally recovery dollars. Federal officials are particularly interested in programs that save jobs or create jobs - preferably jobs that will continue to exist in the future.
Local Recovery Dollars - A piece of this money will be sent directly to cities and counties for local officials to appropriate. Historically, these funds have gone straight to law enforcement agencies, but this year, they will be going to local units of government and the dollars are expected to be on a very quick appropriation time table. If you are working with a program that reduces recidivism, it's in your program's interest to keep your eye on what dollars might be available at the local level. To do this, you'll need to talk to your own city and county officials. While the bulk of the dollars will go to traditional law enforcement activities and equipment, it's possible that some jurisdictions may choose to use a portion of their funds for programs that reduce recidivism.
State Recovery Dollars - Officials at the Governor's Crime Commission anticipate that there will be approximately $18 million dollars for statewide allocation. (This is in addition to their normal grant allocation process.) Again, these dollars will need to be allocated on a very tight timeline - perhaps as quickly as the end of March. State agencies are standing in line with a list of projects that they would like to see funded with these recovery dollars. The Governor has already asked that a piece of her proposed probation expansion ($2.4 million for 24 new Intake officers) be funded with these new recovery dollars. It's still too soon to tell whether any of these dollars will be allocated to individual projects across the state. WHAT YOU CAN DO
Governor's Crime Commission
Continue to check the Governor's Crime Commission website.
As soon as the Governor's Crime Commission has a clear plan for recovery dollars flowing through the Crime Commission, they will post them on their website. It's likely that they will have a plan within the next week or two at the latest.
-
While you're at the Governor's Crime Commission website, take a look at their 2009 Legislative and Policy Agenda. The Crime Commission has had thoughtful leadership in Chairwoman Linda Hayes and Executive Director, David Jones, both of whom have moved to the Department of Juvenile Justice in the Perdue administration. One of the Commission's recommendations is a 33% cut in new prison expansion and a doubling of community-based corrections programs that reduce recidivism.
In the Commission's regular allocation process, they have recommended funding to a long list of re-entry projects. Good for them! There were no actual dollars going into re-entry at the state level in 2008 and we applaud the Crime Commission for working to create real services at re-entry. We do hope that the needed funding of re-entry efforts doesn't coincide with a complete elimination of existing community-based corrections programs that have been shown to reduce recidivism
NC Recovery Website
Governor Perdue has appointed Dempsy Benton, former Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services, to head the recovery effort. She has also made a widely publicized commitment to post information about all the recovery dollars. Visit the following websites to follow the big picture on the use of recovery dollars:
http://www.ncrecovery.gov/
http://www.ncrecovery.gov/RecoveryPlan/NCImpact.aspx |
|
NC Racial Justice Act introduced
The NC Racial Justice Act was introduced last week in the NC Senate and House. Senate Bill 461/House Bill 472 will give a criminal defendant the use of statistical evidence to prove a claim of racial bias in a capital murder case. The bill's leaders have amended the bill from last year to balance the use of evidence between defendants and the prosecution team. |
Building Knowledge & Finding Help
COMING FALL 2009!
North Carolina's Criminal Justice Resource Directory for Practitioners, Offenders' and Their Families
| |
|
|
|
Saint Patrick's Eve edition
Monday,
March 16, 2009 |
 |
|
Upcoming Conferences & Events
March 25, 2009
NC General Assembly
Raleigh, NC
NC Council of Churches
March 31, 2009
White Memorial Presbyterian Church
Raleigh, NC
feat. Community Corrections & Death Penalty Overviews
Defendant-Offender Workforce Development Conference
April 5-8, 2009
Hilton Pittsburgh Hotel
Pittsburgh, PA
CJPC
Recognition Reception
Spring 2009
NC Black SummitApril 23-25, 2009 Sheraton Hotel
Raleigh, NC
Renaissance Waverly Hotel
Atlanta, Georgia
State & National Research Findings
CJPC Staff & Volunteers
Executive Director
Senior Director of
Policy & Special Projects
Michael Ballard
Intern
NC Central Dept of Political Science
Faith Everett
Policy Intern
NC Central School of Law
Nathaniel Boston
Volunteer Office Aide
Patricia McDonald
Volunteer Office Aide
CJPC
Board of Directors
Dr. George P. Wilson, Sr.
Chair
NC Central University Professor of Criminal Justice
Linda Weisel
Postconviction Attorney
Kate Dixon
Secretary/Treasurer
Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail - Executive Director
Dr. Peter H. Burian
Duke University
Classical Studies Professor
Dr. Jeffrey Elliot
NC Central University Political Science Dept Chair
Dr. Jarvis Hall
NC Central University
Civic Engagement Director
Edd Gulati-Partee
Self-Help Community Credit Union
Information Technology
Sheria Reid
Institute of Government
Policy Analyst
CJPC is a partner organization
of the following:
Blueprints NC
HK on J Progressive Coalition
"A Movement Not a Moment"
North Carolina Center for Nonprofits
NC Coalition for a Moratorium
|
|
Contact Us!
Mailing Address:
Post Office Box 309
Durham, NC 27702-0309
(919) 682-1149
|
|
