COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1997

11 A.M.

PRESENT: Chair: Darcy. Members: Wishnie, Donovan, Mosiello, Stewart-Cousins. Staff: Meagan Perry, Department of Corrections; Emilia Vita, Secretary.

ALSO PRESENT: Rocco Pozzi, Commissioner of Probation; Jacolyn Levine, Assistant Commissioner-Probation; George Hosey, Chairman, CBAC.

The meeting was called to order at 11:10 a.m. by Chairman Darcy.

Commissioner Pozzi gave a background of electronic monitoring, whereas Westchester County had a program already in place, but was stopped for six months by a New York State Appeals decision. Governor Pataki signed electronic monitoring into law again of September 18, 1996. The County has been up and working since mid-January of this year with home detention.

The Commissioner said there are several youths from a gang unit already enrolled in the program, which is slated for less violent crimes . The department recommends to the Court a defendant that is eligible for home confinement. His department is not going to recommend confinement at home to offenders of drug dealing, domestic violence abuse, illegal gambling, because the source of the crime is at the home. Westchester County does its own monitoring. The program enables probation officers to monitor an offender at home with an electronic ankle bracelet. If the offender goes outside the perimeters of the premises or if it is tampered with, an alarm is sounded at the Corrections facility in Valhalla, a print out is made and a phone call is made to the home. If there is no response, the Probation Officer does a field visit to investigate.

Commissioner Pozzi said the cost effect is no more than serving probation for approximately six months. The cost to be in jail is approximately $140 to $160 per day; the costs of home detention is $3.83 to rent per day.

There is a satellite system that monitors domestic violence cases. A batter will not be placed in the same home with the victim, if they leave their premises or come within 150 feet of the victim and alarm will go off and local police are alerted.

Another satellite tracking device will know where a batterer is at all times in the community. This however, is very expensive and departments are trying to join with other domestic violence grants for domestic violence. A pilot project would also be affective. The Commissioner explained that this a tool, home detention is very sophisticated and very reliable. The criteria is input individually by the Officers, they are working with a parolee, not just baby-sitting, it enables an Officer to perform r other duties as well.

Mr. Pozzi said the public’s perceptions of these programs need to understand that parolees are still accountable for their actions, there is a need to redefine "punishment." The County had 41 cases, no one is denied home confinement when recommended, some even prefer to serve time in jail.

Chairman Darcy asked the Commissioner what can the Board do to enhance this program? Commissioner Pozzi said he would like to avoid any staff cuts, restore funding or keep at the same level. His personnel staff is essential, they are dividing what is left of offices and adding to already overloaded cases..

Legislator Wishnie asked what happened to the grant money to hire eight additional people in the Domestic Violence Unit. The Commissioner said seven Probation Officers will be hired, noting they will be bi-lingual. The diversity of staff is to recruit more African-American and Bi-Lingual candidates. He will have the opportunity to recruit at upcoming job fairs.

Commissioner Pozzi will provide additional criteria to the Chair and will continue discussions of his department’s activity on home detention.

Chairman Darcy said he will confirm the meetings of March 3rd and March 10th. He asked for input regarding the MERV bus. Legislator Wishnie asked if Mr. Everetts has any additional information with his part of the agenda and asked the Chair if this can be resolved by phone. Mr. Darcy will be in touch with Mr. Everetts and report back to Committee.

Chairman Darcy reminded the members that Commissioner Stancari will discuss inmate fees for incarceration at next Monday’s meeting at 11 a.m., and asked the secretary of the Committee to confirm his attendance.

The minutes of Monday, January 22, 1997, were approved as amended on the motion of Legislator Wishnie, seconded by Legislator Donovan.

With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m.