Franklin County Sentencing Programs
The main objective of the Franklin County Adult Probation/Parole Department is to effectively monitor criminal offenders living and working in the community. The goal of each probation/parole officer has two important elements. One is to aid the offender in his or her rehabilitation and reintegration into the community, and the other is to ensure the safety and protection of both the victim and the community. As the needs of the public change, so does the role of probation and parole. Working together with the courts and county administrators, the Probation/Parole Department has developed special programs that individualize the treatment of various offenders.
In addition to regular Probation and Parole services, the Franklin County utilizes the following programs:
Electronic Monitoring
The electronic monitoring/house arrest program (EM/HA) under the direction of the Franklin County Probation Department began in late March 1995. It was designed to provide the Court with sentencing alternatives in lieu of incarceration or following a period of short incarceration. The program provides a middle ground between incarceration and traditional probation and parole. It also provides the Court with the approved sentencing authority to sentence offenders to a period of Restrictive Intermediate Punishment in accordance with the new Sentencing Guidelines promulgated by the Penna. Commission on Sentencing.
The emphasis of the program is to divert some offenders who might otherwise be incarcerated in the Franklin County Prison to an electronic monitoring/house arrest status that would provide both protection to the community and allow the offender to take advantage of community-based programs of treatment. The program is based on the concept of adding more positive structure to the offender’s life which, in most cases is nonexistent.
The offender is subject to intense monitoring of their activities during their stay on these programs. The offender is able to participate in positive activities that give him or her feelings of accomplishment in the community. The offender’s freedom to move about in the community is restricted and his activities monitored on a regular basis. Offenders on the program are assessed as to their treatment needs, and a plan to meet those needs is established. Offenders on the program are required to attend all treatment programs that are indicated as necessary for the needs of the offender. Available resources in the community are utilized to aid the offender in reintegrating himself/herself into society and to lead a life of law-abiding behavior. Franklin County also utilizes SCRAM (Self Contained Remote Alcohol Monitoring) EM units, designed to monitor alcohol use in those offenders that have demonstrated difficulty in curtailing alcohol consumption.
Intensive Supervision
The Intensive supervision program (ISP) under the direction of the Franklin County Probation Department began in early 1990. It was designed to help reduce overcrowding at the Franklin County Prison. This would be accomplished in two manners, one by providing treatment programs to inmates with drug problems and two by assisting offenders from committing new crimes through more intensive monitoring of their behavior etc. while on the program. The program began with the aid of a grant from the Penna. Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). The program has grown over the past several years and is now used as part of the Probation Department’s Intermediate Punishment sentencing alternatives. Sentencing approval from PCCD for ISP as a Restrictive Intermediate Punishment has allowed the Court to impose ISP as part of an alternative sentence to incarceration under the new sentencing guidelines. Offenders who have violated regular supervision rules may be placed on the ISP program for a brief period of time in lieu of further violation proceedings before the Court.
A major portion of the Intensive Supervision Program centers around the use of urinalysis testing. This testing directs attention immediately to those offenders who use drugs and who may not admit to drug use on the self report drug use question asked as part of the PSI. It also provides baseline drug use information and allows for appropriate referrals to treatment services/programs. Drug testing also allows the ISP Officer to more effectively monitor the offender’s treatment progress and provides timely information on an offender’s continued use of or abstinence from drugs. The urine testing component of the ISP is thus useful as a diagnostic tool and as a therapeutic and monitoring tool for re-enforcing case management and treatment goals. All ISP participants must undergo a drug and alcohol assessment and comply with any treatment recommendations while on the ISP program.
Another key component of the ISP program involves employment for the offender. All offenders must be employed or actively seeking employment while on the program. The use of curfews based on the offender’s employment status also play a major role in this part of the program.
Offenders in this program are intensely monitored by the ISP staff and must report on a regular basis. ISP staff maintain regular contact with the employer, treatment provider, family and the offender in an effort to promote a stable living and working environment for the offender. Monitoring of behavior and community involvement, coupled with increased offender contact allows ISP staff to correct minor problems before they become major problems in the offender’s life.
Day Reporting
This initiative program is primarily an alternative to incarceration. It targets offenders who would normally receive county jail sentence or a short state prison sentence. Offenders may be directly sentenced to the Day Reporting Program or placed there as an alternative disposition to a Probation / Parole violation. The Day Reporting Center (DRC) provides high accountability through daily reporting, drug screening, educational programs, Cognitive Behavioral therapy and employment/community service coupled with appropriate levels of required substance abuse treatment and counseling.
There are currently two officers assigned to the DRC. Offenders in this program are intensely monitored by the DRC Officers and must report on a regular basis. DRC Officers maintain regular contact with the employer, treatment providers, family and the offender in an effort to promote a stable living and working environment for the offender. Monitoring of behavior and community involvement, coupled with increased offender contact allows the DRC Officers to correct minor problems before they become major problems in the offender’s life.
Community Service
The Community Service Program under the direction of the Franklin County Probation Department is designed to provide the Court with a sentencing alternative in addition to or in lieu of incarceration. This allows the offender to meet an obligation to symbolically “repay” society for his/her past unlawful behavior by completing community service work hours at various community agencies. The emphasis of this program will be to divert some offenders, who might otherwise be incarcerated, into a service program which would provide valuable service to local government agencies, non profit agencies and community based agencies which provide services to meet human needs. Working with these types of agencies and other volunteers, the offender can learn the importance of responsible, productive behavior while making a positive contribution to the welfare of the local community.
The concept of righting wrongs through service is consistent with historical concepts of justice. The intent may be to help offenders appreciate more fully the impact of their damage and to accept responsibility for their actions. It also may allow offenders to participate in affirmative activities that give him/her the feeling of positive accomplishment that results in a “clean slate”. It allows the victim to have the satisfaction of seeing a positive response from the offender and the criminal justice system in a way that directly benefits the community. This program offers a just response from the justice system which makes sense to the community as a whole and allows that community to be directly involved in the justice system.
Pre-Release (Work Release)
The Pre-Release program, also known as Work release program, targets Low-risk, non-violent offenders sentenced to the Franklin County Jail. Those offenders that are deemed eligible for work release by the sentencing judiciary are eligible for participation in the Pre Release / Work Release Program. Residents should have demonstrated ties to family and local community. The Work Release program targets those offenders that possess employment upon entry to the Jail, and also actively seeks employment for those offenders that do not have current employment.
The goal of the program is to provide the offenders the opportunity to pay back restitution to their victims, pay Court ordered Child support, and meet any monetary family obligations.
Specialized Mental Health Supervision Program
In January 1996 the Franklin County Mental Health Supervision program began. This program consists of a single Officer who sole job is to closely supervise the unique segment of the probation and parole clientele that displayed Mental Health & Mental retardation (MH/MR) needs.
The first focus of this program is to protect the community and the offender. The second focus of this program is to provide a structured level of close supervision to “MH/MR”cases. Combining close supervision with an effective treatment program, working in tandem with local MH/MR treatment facilities.
Specialized Sexual Offender Supervision Program
The Franklin County Sexual Offenders Unit was developed in 1996 to address the growing concerns of sexual abuse in our country and community. The sexual offenders supervision program was designed to follow the program recommendations of the American Probation and Parole Association's motto "containment approach" in managing this offender population.
The Sexual Offenders Program supervises offenders who have committed sexual offenses in Franklin County and offenders who are currently Franklin County residents that were convicted of sexual offenses in other counties. These cases are managed by providing surveillance, monitoring, and treatment. The probation and parole officer works in conjunction with treatment providers to assist in re-educating the offender. The officer assesses the overall status of the offender for specialized treatment and intervention needs, develops and implements intervention strategies necessary to reduce criminal behavior, and meets regularly with offenders in the office and in the community. The officer also monitors the progress of offenders in treatment or therapy, prepares Court-ordered pre-sentence investigation reports, schedules violation hearings, and performs duties related to Megan’s Law DNA requirements.
http://www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us/
Drug and Alcohol Out-patient Treatment & Inpatient Treatment
The Franklin County Court utilizes local in and out-patient treatment programs, in conjunction with various levels of supervision and programming.
Offenders that have displayed current or past, drug or alcohol abuse behaviors, are evaluated for treatment needs, and are placed into the appropriate program, based upon the evaluation results.
Offenders who fail to remain drug and alcohol free after completing a Drug and Alcohol program, may be required to participate in additional treatment programming, as part of a violation proceeding, or as part of an alterative disposition to incarceration.
Mental Health/ Jail Diversion Program
Jail Diversion refers to a program that links individuals with a serious mental illness (and often co-occurring disorders) who have come in contact with the criminal justice system with community-based treatments, services and/or support systems so they can successfully live in the community.
Offenders are placed in this program as an alternative to formal incarceration in reaction to new criminal offenses, and in reaction to Probation and Parole violations, or behavior that may lead to eventual violations.
The offender eligibility is determined by a collaborative team approach comprised of Probation, Jail, DRC, and the forensic caseworker.
Drug & Alcohol Probation Partnership Program
A treatment intensive Restrictive Intermediate Punishment(RIP) Program partially funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, DAPP specifically targets non-violent drug or alcohol dependant offenders who are eligible for RIP Trade-off(one day of RIP = one day of Jail), in lieu of or in combination with incarceration time recommended by the PA Sentencing Guidelines Basic Sentencing Matrix.
