Rhode Department of Correction

Program Abstract:

The RIDOC collects and summarizes information on all criminal cases and has the most complete information of all the criminal justice agencies. This proposal seeks to fund a comprehensive program that will centralize services for notification, registration and support services. In addition, the DOC is in the process of purchasing a computerized notification system this year that will serve as the official notification vehicle in the State for all victim of crime.

The Rhode Island Department of Corrections and the Rhode Island Parole Board have been given significant responsibility in regards to Victim's Rights through RIGL12-28 and RIGL 13-8. These laws mandate duties including victim notification and registration, victim impact statements and victim advocacy and the creation of a Victim's Advisory Board. Both agencies have developed programming to offer these services in a context that also provides the support and referral services necessary to also guarantee that the clients would not be re-victimized by the mandated services.

RIDOC is submitting a single proposal in cooperation with the RI Parole Board in order to create a more coordinated and comprehensive program. This enhanced program will give the RIDOC the capacity to function as the lead agency for victim's services within the criminal justice arena. Through this improved program we will be able to provide overall information, support and leadership to State and local criminal justice agencies and related agencies that offer services to victims, especially of violent crime. A coordinated delivery system will protect the victims of crime from being re-victimized by service delays and confusion that result from multiple agencies' handling of data and information on individual cases. The RIDOC is the only agency that operates on a statewide basis and is open and available for information sharing 24 hours a day, seven day a week.

In the past three years VOCA award money was given to the RIDOC and the Parole Board separately, and has been used to create a DOC Victims Services Office (VSO) and to develop a Victim's Services Program for the Rhode Island Parole Board. The Parole Board has offered support and referral services through the assistance of a part time victim's advocate from the Rhode Island Victim's Advocacy and Support Center (RIVAS). This advocate has provided 40 hours of outreach and counseling a month to individuals who participated in the victim impact and notification process. This year, 187 primary and 87 secondary victims received those services.

The RIDOC Victims Services Office was established in 1999 and has been staffed through a contract with the Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center. A full time social worker has participated in DOC system planning to develop the office, assisting in statewide planning on victim's service issues and this year has provided referral and advocacy for 100 clients and 15 agencies. Those served in both projects represented victims from all categories of victims of violent crimes prioritized by the Public Safety Grant Administration Office for the VOCA grant programs.

As the Department expands the VOCA office to include automated notification, voluntary registration and the opportunity for enhanced support and advocacy, there will be a need for increased staff. We are proposing that a comprehensive Victims Services Office be established to serve victims who interface with the RIDOC and the Parole Board. This office would provide victim advocacy, referral and case management to individual victims who access the three forms of mandated victim's information: -Victim Notification -Victim Registration -Victim Impact Statements

Organizational Description RIDOC- Genera/ Description

Rhode Island has a unified correctional system, in which all pre-trial detainees and all offenders sentenced to a term of incarceration fall under the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections. All correctional facilities in the State (except for a privately managed federal detention center) are located at the John 0. Pastore Center, and are collectively know as the ACT (Adult Correctional Institutions). On the compound are eight facilities. In Calendar Year 2000, these facilities collectively held an average daily total population of 3,298 inmates: 669 awaiting trial and 2,630 sentenced. In Calendar Year 2000, there were a total of 15,743 releases from the collective facilities: 11,700 preconviction releases; 3,223 were convicted offender releases; and 820 were civil purge releases. PAROLE BOARD-General Description

The Rhode Island Parole Board operates pursuant to RIGL 138-8-1.-20 et seq. The Board consists of six part time members and one full time member who is appointed by the Governor. One member must be a physician, who is qualified in the field of psychiatry and neurology; one must be a member of the Rhode Island Bar: one must be in correctional or social work; and one must be a law enforcement officer. All members must have a demonstrated interest in social welfare problems.

The Parole Board may, by majority vote of members, grant parole eligible inmates early release into the community. One of the criteria that members considering their parole-making process is the impact of the crime has had on the victim. Pursuant to RIGL 12-18-6, the Parole Board shall notify the crime victim prior to considering an inmate for parole. The Board has a full time Chief Field Investigator who, with assistance of local police departments, locates crime victims and notifies them that the incarcerated inmate will be considered for discretionary release. The victim, upon request is then afforded the opportunity to address the Parole Board regarding the impact the crime has had on them.

The Board sets aside one day each month, prior to inmate hearings, to hear from crime victims. During scheduled appointments, victims appear in person before the Board to state their opposition or support of the inmate's release. In 1999 the Parole Board made notification to approximately 2,200 crime victims. Over the past twelve months, (April 1999 through April 2000) 244 victims and their families appeared in person before the Board. It is estimated that over five hundred (500) individuals have appeared on "Victim Day" during the past twelve months.

The Board provides a brochure entitled "An Overview of the Parole Process for Victims" to all Victims. This document addresses the parole process and frequently asked questions of victims. However most victims appearing before the Board have additional question and concerns, which are not sufficiently addressed by the brochure. Statement of Problem

The RIDOC has recognized that to expand our capacity for effective victim's services we must coordinate internal and external procedures and protocols or risk re-victimizing the individuals who will use these services. Several units must function cooperatively including MIS, ID and

Records staff; the VOCA funded Victim's Services Office, Probation and Parole units.

Interagency cooperation must be organized and monitored. Information and case management must occur because the victims needs may focus in differing areas of the criminal justice system including the Courts and Attorney Generals' Office, Corrections and the Parole Board. Victim's service agencies around the state can be involved with the victim at any point in the process over time.

The RIDOC stands ready to be an always available, consistent source of information, advocacy and referral. The RIDOC, while not duplicating services nor providing very technical or sensitive clinical services, will be available to initiate referrals for services at any point in the process and to provide information for agencies who will provide more intensive support services. The ability to connect with all other members of the network and provide a coordinating function for the network will increase the effectiveness of all the services provided. Fragmented and uncoordinated services will re-victimize those who have already been harmed. All the victims of violent crime, especially priority populations; victims of child abuse, victims of sexual assault and domestic violence; will be served by the RIDOC notification system and will have access to the supportive services offered by the RIDOC's Victim's Services Office.

The need for a RIDOC/Parole Board combined Victim's Services Office can be identified through a description of the demands and experience of each of the mandated duties: 1.Mandatoy Notification

The implementation of a mandated notification system will heighten the need for case coordination. According to the RIDOC Planning and Research department, approximately 1500 felons are released yearly. In addition, any offender who has a furlough, goes to work release or who expires under sentence needs to be reported to their victim. The full implementation of these notification procedures create a need for expanded supportive programming. VOCA grant money will not be used to purchase and sustain the technical aspects of the automated system. However, to operate it effectively and efficiently for victims, additional staffing for supportive services will be required. Correctional staff and MIS staff will maintain the system but cannot offer supportive services to the victims. We recognize that there must be trained staff available to help victims who are contacted by the system.

2. Voluntary Registration: After over a year of planning our present RIDOC Victims Services Office is ready to begin the process of voluntary registration. It is unknown whether few or hundreds of victims will use this function. Based on the 100 clients who have contacted the present VSO which has operated as an informal, unadvertised system, and considering the impact of the implementation of the computerized notification system, we assume that several hundred victims may request access to follow-up supportive services. The Victim's Office must be staffed with at least one full time clinician to handle the case management and referral services that will be needed.

3. Victim Impact Statements Parole/ Probation The parole board's experience with impact statements has confirmed that there is a need for an enhanced support, advocacy and referral provision when victim's become involved with the criminal justice system. The 40 hours of supportive services presently offered has proven insufficient to meet the need. More staff resources are necessary especially considering the anticipated increased awareness of services caused by a more active and efficient notification and registration process. The existing parole board victim's advocate position should be increased to a full time equivalent status. This staff person will offer a multifaceted approach, to include a range of advocacy and counseling services. Plan of operation

Notification and registration

The Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) and Parole Board will to establish a comprehensive Victim's Services Office through a vendor contract. The RIDOC will fulfill its' mandated responsibility to provide and maintain a system to notify victims of crimes of changes in the status of their respective offenders. Major elements would include a voluntary victim registry; an interface with RIDOC's inmate database; a means for victims to call in for information on status of an offender; a system for automated calling to victims' telephones; a means for production of mail-based notifications; and the provision of a variety of management reports. This system may potentially serve as a hub upon which other related agencies would build (courts, Attorney General, etc.).

Advocacy, case Management and Counseling:

In order to service the victims who use the notification and registration system the Office of Victim's Services will provide a wide rage of advocacy, counseling and case management service directly to victims. Included in work of this office will be the creation of a Victim's Advisory Board . This body will serve to insure that the services offered by the VSO will be victim oriented and responsive to victims needs.

BACKGROUND:

In Spring 2000, legislature modified RI General Law ¤12-28-3, known as the "Victims' Bill of Rights," to expand the role of the Department of Corrections in the notification of victims. It provides:

To be notified in felony cases whenever the defendant or perpetrator is released from custody at the adult correctional institutions When release is ordered prior to Anal conviction, the department of corrections shall notify the attorney general who in turn shall give notice to the victim. When release is granted by parole the parole board shall give the notice to the victim. In all other cases when release is granted, the notice to victim shall be given by the department of corrections Victims who wish to be notified by the department of corrections shall register their names and the addresses they wish the notices to be sent with the department of corrections. Department of corrections notification shall also include furlough, transfer out of state, escape, and death;

Also, RIGL¤42-56-21-1 requires that the RIDOC Classification board notify a related victim (or victim's family in case of homicide) prior to the release of any prisoner on Work Release.

The Parole Board has similar legislative mandates in 13-8-6

(1) "Victim"means an individual who has suffered direct or threatened physical, emotional or financial harm as the result of the commission of a crime, or an immediate family member of a minor or a homicide victim.

(2) " Victim Impact statement" means a statement providing information about the financial, emotional and physical effects of the crime on the victim and victim s family, and specific information about the victim, the circumstances surrounding the crime and the manner in which it was perpetrated.

CURRENT PROCEDURES:

* Victim's Initiated Request/ RIDOC: OVS RIDOC currently has an informal process relating to victim notification. There is little "marketing" to the victim community. If a victim takes the initiative to contact RIDOC for information on the status of an incarcerated offender, the inquiry is directed to the Victim Services Unit. When contacted by a victim, RIDOC's Office of Victim Services will inform the victim of the right to notification and will record contact information. This information is forwarded to the Records & Identification Unit (R&ID) for data-entry into a comment field in the offender's record in INFACTS.

* Escape / Office of Investigations (RIDOC)

The standard operating procedures for cases of escape include the requirement that an investigator immediately check the inmate's record for victim information; the investigator will personally contact the listed victim.

* Classification to Community Access/ Classification Board (RIDOC)

In cases of an offender's reclassification to Work Release status, the Classification Unit is responsible for notifying victims of offenders. An employee of the unit checks police records and other sources, and sends written notification to the victim.

* Expiration of Sentence / Record & ID (RIDOC)

In cases of release upon expiration of sentence, the R&ID officer will check for a listed victim, and will notify the victim via telephone. This is a manual record-check process, as the information is held in a generic comment field, which field may also include non-victim information.

Parole/ Parole Board

The Parole Board, which is independent of RIDOC in its program activities, has had a longstanding statutory responsibility to notify victims both of prospective parole hearings and of prospective release by parole. This unit employs an investigator to locate applicable victims through review of police reports, etc. The notification is by mail. A victim advocate is available through vendor contract for supportive services.

* Pre-Conviction Releases / Attorney General's Report

The Office of Attorney General has access to RIDOC's INFACTS system, and can at any time print a listing of pre-conviction offenders that have been released. At that time, they mail a notification to victims of record. In that letter, the AG's Office introduces the RIDOC Office of Victim Services. VOCA Funding Request: In order to provide direct services to victims who use the above mandated services the RIDOC and Parole Board, the RIDOC is asking for funding to expand the Victim's Services Office. We are requesting funding for three staff positions to operate an expanded Victim's Services Office. These positions will be provided by a vendor(s)contract chosen by RFP process. The full time equivalent positions will be dedicated to direct service to victims

POSTION DESCRIPTIONS:

• 1.)-Program Manager
• 2.)-Case Worker II
• 3.)-Information Aide

The program manager and two staff positions should be trained staff who will: 1.Refer and act as broker for victim to access appropriate services 2. Develop and maintain the Victim's Advisory Board. 3. Provide awareness of and assist in the access to Victim's compensation fund. 4. Recruit and use social work interns and other volunteers to assist in advocacy and referral work done by the office. Position Details: The Information Aide: This position will field all calls from Victims to the RIDOC and Parole Board. VSO staff will be provided by contract. The information aide will provide the link between the victims who use the notification system and the clinical staff who will operate out of the VSO and work in a more focused manner with the registration and the impact responsibilities of the office. We are committed to making sure that information, registration and impact activities will not cause further harm to the victim. This notification will be available in both English and Spanish. Hiring for the staff position will be done with a preference for a bilingual individual. Confidentiality of all VSO services will be provided in the same manner and in accordance with RIDOC policy regarding medical record confidentiality.

TIMELINE/-GOALS:

• 1.) Implementation of the Notification system
• 2.) Implementation of the Voluntary Registration system
• July 2001 -Vendor for Automated system chosen: RIDOC
• -Publication of Registration Materials: VENDOR/Vendor
• -Training Public Agencies / CBO's concerning registration:

VENDOR/RIDOC

Sept. 2001 -Vendor program installation at MIS completed/ tested: RIDOC

• -Information Aide hired RIDOC/Vendor
• -Implementation of the Voluntary Registration: /RIDOC/Vendor
• Dec. 2001 -Vendor for expanded VSO chosen: RIDOC/Parole Board
• Jan. 2002 -6 month review /program adjustments: RIDOC/Parole Board
• -Staff hired/service provision begins RIDOC/Parole
• -Victim advisory Board planning/ membership search begun
• February 2002 -Voluntary registration fully operational RIDOC/ VENDOR
• March 2002 Inter-agency assessment process designed and implemented
• Victim's Advisory Board assembled
• June 2002 -Annual Report on First Year Notification: RIDOC/Parole
• Board/Victim's Advisory Board
• Sept. 2002 -6 month report on service provided/ program adjustment: RIDOC/ VICTIM
• Advisory Board
• Oct 2002 Annual Report: RIDOC/PAROLE BOARD/VICTIM' Advisory Board

Evaluation Plan:

The program will be evaluated in four ways:

1.) The Parole Board and Victim's Services office have both done client satisfaction surveys. Within the context of this initiative, those documents will be merged to create one survey to be used in all aspects of the RIDOC victims program. The parole board's Likert scale format will be used to provide the instrument with an enhanced ability for analysis of the data. The actual questionnaire will be complete both in writing and by telephone survey. 2.) The creation of a Victim's Advisory Board will provide a means for victims to evaluate the services being given and to assist in the implementation of solution to the problems identified. 3.) Each vendor will be required to report monthly concerning service provided. A vendor services report must accompany each monthly bill. (Copy of report in appendix) 4.) Once a year other cooperating criminal justice agencies will be asked to evaluate the RIDOC services.

A comprehensive report on all from all services will be prepared annually.

For more information contact:
Robert Richman, Program Director
Rhode Island Department of Corrections
40 Howard Avenue
Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
Telephone: (401) 462-2677
Fax : (401) 462-1964