SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

There are currently 63,000 people in state prison in New York and an additional 28,000 in local county jails. It is believed that a majority of this population has a history of a lcohol and/or drug dependency and requires substance abuse treatment.

Effective drug treatment programs may reduce the rate of recidivism among formerly incarcerated substance abusers and improve their prospects for employment thus promoting successful reentry. Further, drug treatment appears to be significantly more cost-effective than incarceration as a means of reducing drug-related crime. There would also be considerable savings to potential victims and society.

The success of people returning from incarceration stands to benefit our entire community while their failure perpetuates a cycle of incarceration. This hearing will examine the adequacy of existing substance abuse treatment programs and whether increased services and resources are needed.

Note:

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the joint public hearing should complete and return the reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation. Oral testimony will be limited to ten (10) minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the reply form or communicated to the Committees' staff as early as possible.

Twenty (20) copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk.

The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committees' interest in receiving testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:

1. What substance abuse treatment services are provided to New York State prisoners during incarceration? According to the Department of Correctional Services, 78% of inmates are identified as substance abusers. Are the substance abuse treatment services available in New York State prisons and jails sufficient to meet the needs of inmates with a history of drug and alcohol dependency?

2. What are the pre-release procedures used by the Department of Correctional Services and the Division of Parole to ensure successful community integration of persons with substance abuse issues released from prison? What steps are taken if any, to ensure that there is a continuity of care between prison and community substance abuse treatment?

3. The Willard Drug Treatment Campus houses second felony drug offenders and parole violators who have had their parole revoked and been placed in the Willard program. How many persons are placed at Willard each year? What is the treatment regimen at Willard and why has this particular regimen been selected? Is the treatment capacity available at the Willard Drug Treatment Campus being fully and appropriately utilized? What is the impact of Willard participation on those who successfully complete the program and are returned to the community?

4. The SFY 2006-07 State Budget provides a total of $6 million for the operation of a not-for-profit consortium that will assist parolees in obtaining substance abuse treatment, housing and employment. The initiative is to be jointly administered by the Division of Parole and Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS). What is the status of this initiative?

5. What substance abuse treatment programs and resources are currently available in the community for persons released from jail and prison? Are these services adequate to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of persons released from jail and prison in New York each year? What additional services and resources are necessary?

6. How effective is substance abuse treatment at reducing the rate of recidivism among persons convicted of crimes?

7. What kinds of programs, resources or supervision would most effectively reduce the incidence of drug use and drug-related crime among the parole and post-release supervision population?

8. Would expanding the number of non-violent drug offenders eligible for court ordered drug abuse treatment as a possible alternative to incarceration, as proposed in Assembly bill A8098-A, help break the cycle of addiction and crime and make our streets, homes and communities safer?

9. What are the potential cost savings of diverting persons convicted of drug-related crimes into substance abuse treatment as a potential alternative to incarceration?

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the joint public hearing on reentry of persons with a history of alcohol and/or drug dependency released from incarceration and the implementation of the Parole/OASAS initiative funded through the Division of Parole and Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services in the FSY 2006-2007 state budget are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail, email or fax it to:

Shannel Arrington, Legislative Analyst
Assembly Committee on Codes
Room 508 - The Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
Email: arrings@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4313
Fax: (518) 455-4682

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