Senate Bill 408 Focuses on Streamlining Process to Help Reduce State’s Rising Prison Population
During last year’s regular session, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 371, which focused on reforming aspects of the state’s criminal justice system to improve public safety and to also address the growing prison overcrowding and substance abuse problems in West Virginia.
At last November’s Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority interim meeting, committee members heard from General Counsel for the Governor’s Office discuss the impact Senate Bill 371 has already had on the prison population numbers.
The Governor’s office had been looking at two types of statistics to analyze the effects Senate Bill 371 has had on the prison population numbers; the total number of inmates in the custody of the Division of Corrections (DOC) and of that number, those that are being held at regional jails. The figures show the total inmate population had dropped by 253 and the backlog of inmates being housed in the state’s regional jails was down by 554. It was projected that the prison population would grow past 7,500 by the end of 2014. Instead, the state’s inmate population dropped.
As a continuing response to reducing the prison population in the state, the Senate has placed on the calendar Senate Bill 408, which makes some changes to the current parole board hearing process. Current law requires DOC inmates detained in a non-DOC facility who are eligible for a parole hearing to make a written request. Committee substitute for SB 408 treats DOC inmates housed in non-DOC facilities the same as those inmates already housed in DOC facilities.
Senate Bill 408 would make two changes to the parole process to ensure that DOC inmates are provided with a timely parole board hearing. It removes the three month good conduct requirement prior to parole release as a condition to have a hearing. However, the Parole Board will maintain authority to grant or deny parole. Second, the bill adds language stating that the Division of Correction inmates being held in non-DOC facilities who become parole eligible are entitled to a prompt hearing.
As of Friday, January 31, the bill was placed on first reading on the Senate’s calendar where it is expected to come up for a vote before the full Senate next week.
