Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s new chairman of the state Parole Board unveiled a comprehensive series of reforms that seek to prepare prisoners for their return to society “from the moment they enter prison.”

“From day one,” said George Alexander, “we find out what they are lacking and fix it, whether it’s substance abuse problems
or anger control.” And long before a prisoner’s release, corrections officials should be working hand-in-glove with parole officers to ease the inmate’s return by setting up employment opportunities and pre-approving them for food stamps and other benefits to help them get back on their feet.

Alexander presented his vision for the parole system at a September 18 conference on prisoners returning to society and hosted by Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes. The new chairman’s emphasis on social services for parolees was in stark contrast to his Pataki-era predecessors who stressed enforcement against those who violated the terms of their release.

But Alexander had another message for parole officers in his department: be the advocate of the inmate– not the enemy. He urged them to support parolees and celebrate their achievements. As an example, a parolee who succeeds in going drug free for several months should be praised, he said.

“Recognize that this might be a big achievement for them, because that’s all they have,” Alexander said.

Thousands of young men incarcerated over the last decade are scheduled for release or will come before the Parole Board in the next few years. Many of these inmates are black and Hispanic.

Alexander, who headed up probation efforts for the city of Buffalo for many years, said that many of his ideas were successful during his tenure in Buffalo. Shortly after taking the state job, he installed many of his techniques for inmates being released to communities in western New York. Now, he says, he’s ready to bring his plans to New York City.

Alexander highlighted an important issue. Many times prisoners are stigmatized because of their past criminal record. He spoke of changing certifications that prisoners receive in jail from Department of Corrections to Department of Labor. That will ensure that the inmate won’t be punished for his past mistakes.

To be effective, Alexander said he needed the support of many partners such as Com Alert, Department of Labor, Department of Social Services, Local Department of Social Service, Department of Corrections and the clergy.

Helen Garrett of The Quaker Society posed a question about more education in the prison system, and Alexander responded that the board has been in talks with both the State University and the City University to expand services in the prisons.

Brooklyn District Attorney Hynes, who hosted the conference at the New York City College of Technology, said that his office began special efforts in 2002 to assist recently released felons after observing that as many as six of ten parolees wind up arrested and back in jail within six months of their release.
The numbers are much lower for those who are accepted into his special program. He proudly announced that only 12% of his 2006 graduates were back in prison, compared with 41% nationally.
His program offers GED classes, computer labs, partnership with Medgar Evers College and other higher education opportunities for prisoners being released. They also have an expansion of services by Doe Fund’s “Ready, Willing and Able” program. In 2007 they expanded their program to include 1,200.00 inmates, a third of the 3,500 expected parolees.

Hynes spoke of replicating his program nationally and noted that a successful and similar program exists in San Francisco. Hynes said that once question him about these efforts and asked, “What about the victims?”

Hynes offered this response, “Reduce the number of defendants, and in turn reduce the number of crimes.”