QUESTION
What are the impacts of closing state correctional facilities on the Department of Probation and Rikers' population?
0:53:39
·
102 sec
Juanita Holmes acknowledges that closing state correctional facilities may increase community supervision needs and necessitates a larger probation workforce.
- Holmes is planning for a larger Department of Probation workforce due to anticipated impacts of correctional facility closures.
- A commission is being formed to handle conditional releases, which may affect the number of people under community supervision.
- Increased supervision demands prompt consideration for hiring more staff and enhancing training programs.
- Specific programs, like CDL and welding training, are highlighted for their role in supporting individuals under probation.
- Holmes expresses confidence in the Department of Probation's planning and foresight in anticipating these changes.
Mercedes Narcisse
0:53:39
Governor Hochol has proposed closing 5 state correctional facilities in the next fiscal year.
0:53:46
A plan that she says would save the state $77,000,000.
0:53:51
Do you see any potential impact that the closing of this facilities will have on the Department of the Population at Rikers or the population at Rikers.
0:54:01
Has the DOC been coordinating with the Department of Corrections?
0:54:06
Oh, no.
0:54:06
That's not yours, sir.
Juanita Holmes
0:54:09
So we but
Mercedes Narcisse
0:54:10
this one I want to insert.
Alex Stein
0:54:11
Mhmm.
Mercedes Narcisse
0:54:11
Do you see any potential impact?
Juanita Holmes
0:54:13
Yes.
0:54:14
So I do.
0:54:15
And even with the commission that's being formed down, And I think, hopefully, we'll have the confirmation of the last 2 individuals too.
0:54:23
That's gonna be part of the conditional release commission.
Sandy Nurse
0:54:27
Mhmm.
Juanita Holmes
0:54:27
So even that we're planning for.
0:54:29
So I'm gonna need more people.
0:54:30
So I stated this, I actually put in for a pause to hire bigger classes.
Sandy Nurse
0:54:36
Mhmm.
Juanita Holmes
0:54:37
Because, yes, I feel as a result of that, more people may be under community supervision.
0:54:43
So We're forecasting for that.
0:54:45
In addition to that, we're looking at real programs such as I spoke about the CDL overwhelming attendance with that particular program.
0:54:52
And naturally, they need a license.
0:54:53
They have some fees.
0:54:55
So we try to mitigate and work around some of those circumstances.
0:54:59
Welding is another vendor that we're looking at.
0:55:02
That I think it would be huge.
0:55:04
You don't need a high school diploma.
0:55:05
You only need to know how to operate the machine.
0:55:07
So hiring of more people will be needed.
0:55:12
For the Department of Probation, but we are definitely forecasting in the right direction that we're gonna have some a lot more people in the community supervision.
Mercedes Narcisse
0:55:21
Okay.