SPONSOR: |
Sen. Blevins & Sen. Sorenson & Rep. M. Smith
& Rep. Lavelle |
|
Sens.
Bushweller & Sokola; Reps.
Barbieri, Carson, Heffernan, Hudson, Keeley, Miro, B. Short, D. Short &
Willis |
DELAWARE STATE SENATE 146th GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
SENATE BILL NO. 226 |
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 RELATING TO PRE-TRIAL RELEASE ON BAIL OR RECOGNIZANCE, CRIMINAL SENTENCING, SENTENCE CALCULATION, REHABILITATION, PROBATION SUPERVISION AND DATA COLLECTION. |
Section 1. Amend § 2104, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining as follows:
§ 2104. Release on bail or
recognizance of persons charged with any other crime.
(a)
Any person who is arrested and charged with any crime other than a capital
crime shall be released either:
(1)
On the person's own recognizance or
(2)
Upon the execution of an unsecured personal appearance bond of the accused in
an amount specified by the court or
(3)
Upon the execution of a secured appearance bond, the amount of the bond and the
nature of the surety to be determined by the court.
The
court may also impose 1 or more of the conditions of release set forth in §
2108 of this title. The determination of whether the accused shall be released
under paragraph (a)(1), (a)(2) or (a)(3) of this section above and the
conditions of the release shall be in the discretion of the court subject to
this chapter. In making a release
determination, or imposing conditions set forth in §2108 of this title, the
court shall employ an objective risk assessment instrument to gauge the person’s
risk of flight and re-arrest. The risk
assessment instrument shall be responsive to the needs of victims of domestic
violence and sexual assault. The
Statistical Analysis Center shall provide the court with a report of rates of
re-arrest and failure to appear as required by persons released by the
court. Use of the objective risk
assessment instrument shall commence by December 31, 2013.
(b) If
the accused has furnished surety, the court shall, at that time, review
conditions and may impose any conditions as are set forth in § 2108 of this
title before the accused is released, including specific consideration for the
safety of the victim and the community.
(c)
Any person who is arrested and thereafter released from custody pursuant to
this chapter, and who subsequently:
(1)
Tenders to the Superior Court a plea of guilty or nolo contendre to any felony
for which a mandatory, minimum, minimum mandatory or mandatory minimum period
of incarceration is required; or
(2)
Is convicted upon a verdict of guilty of any felony for which a mandatory,
minimum, minimum mandatory or mandatory minimum period of incarceration is
required, shall immediately be remanded to the custody of the Department of
Correction, and shall be incarcerated in lieu of bail until the sentence for
said felony is imposed. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to
pleas or convictions for any felony set forth in Title 21.
Section 2. Amend § 4321(b)(2) of Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strikethrough as follows:
(2) The officers,
under the supervision of the Department, shall prepare an evaluation and
plan of treatment aimed at the alleviation of those conditions which brought
about the criminal behavior of each person in the officer's charge, and shall
attempt in each case to effect a satisfactory adjustment between the individual
and the individual's needs and the demands of society. evaluate each person
in their charge under Supervision Accountability Level II, III or IV, using an
objective risk and needs assessment instrument and shall create a case plan for
those persons assessed to be moderate- to high-risk that targets the need
factors identified by the assessment.
The Department shall make efforts to provide treatment and services
responsive to the person’s needs and characteristics. Use of the objective risk assessment
instrument and associated case plans shall commence by December 31, 2013.
Section 3. Amend § 4321, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by creating a new subsection (g) therein and making insertions as shown by underlining as follows:
(g)
The Department shall undertake an assessment of the availability of community
resources to meet the treatment and rehabilitation needs of the supervised
population every three years and endeavor to develop and support programs in
accordance with identified needs. The first three-year report shall be
completed by December 21, 2013.
Section 4. Amend § 4331(b), Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strikethrough as follows:
(b) Whenever an investigation by
the Investigative Services Office is ordered by the court, the Investigative
Services Office should inquire promptly into such things as the circumstances
of the offense, the motivation of the offender, the criminal record, social
history, behavior pattern and present condition of the offender. The report
of the presentence investigation should include administration of an
evaluation of the offender's criminal conduct objective risk and
needs assessment instrument, and should note wherein the judicial
alternatives of the court and appropriate conditions of supervision may
play a role in the rehabilitation of the offender as a law-abiding citizen. All
local and state agencies shall make available to the Investigative Services
Office such records as the Investigative Services Office may request. The
investigation should include physical and mental examination of the offender,
when, in the opinion of the court, it is desirable. As soon as practicable or
as ordered by the court, the presentence report shall be forwarded to the
sentencing judge of the court in each case.
Section 5. Amend § 4333(i) of Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strikethrough as follows:
(i) Notwithstanding
any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, t The Department shall
have the authority without leave of the court to reclassify any offender serving
a sentenced to of probation at Accountability Levels I, II or
III, between said levels as deemed necessary and appropriate by the
Department, provided that at least 60 days has elapsed from the date on which
such sentence was originally imposed, and provided that the Department
shall first evaluate the offender using an objective classification tool
designed to assist in the determination of the appropriate level of probation.
Offenders shall be reevaluated and reclassified periodically as the Department
deems necessary and appropriate.
Section 6. Amend §4334 (d), Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strikethrough as follows:
(d) Notwithstanding
any provision of subsection (c) of this section or any other law, rule or
regulation to the contrary, the Department is authorized to administratively
resolve technical and minor violations of the conditions of probation or
supervision at Accountability Levels I, II, III or IV when a sanction less
restrictive than Level V is being sought by the Department as a result of the
violation, and is further authorized to administratively resolve technical and
minor violations of conditions of probation at Accountability Levels I, II,
III, or IV by placing the probationer at Accountability Level IV for a period
of not more than 5 days consecutively, and not more than 10 days in any 1
calendar year., or on home confinement for a
period of not more than 10 days consecutively, and not more than 20 days per
calendar year. The Department
shall adopt written procedures providing for administrative review for all
cases in which an offender is placed at Level IV or home confinement
pursuant to this subsection. All administrative dispositions imposed pursuant
to this subsection shall be documented in the offender's record and shall be
made available to the court in the event of a subsequent violation which is
considered by the court. For the purposes of this subsection, the term
"technical and minor violations of the conditions of probation or
supervision" shall not include arrests or convictions for new criminal
offenses. Under this section, the purpose of home
confinement is to reduce the number of persons held at Level V and Level IV
facilities by substituting home confinement when appropriate. The Department shall develop guidelines for
probation officers to assist them in providing consistent and appropriate
responses to compliance and violations of the conditions of probation or
supervision. For the
purposes of this subsection, the limits pertaining to the use of Level IV as
administrative sanction for technical and minor violations of Level I, II or
III shall not apply to the use of home confinement for such purposes.
Section 7. Amend § 4348, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strikethrough as follows:
A person having
served that person's term or terms in incarceration, less such merit and good
behavior credits as have been earned, shall, upon release, be deemed as
released on parole probation
until the expiration of the maximum term or terms for which the person is
sentenced. A person may waive the right to conditional release, in which case
the person shall serve the remainder of the term or terms in prison. Such
waiver shall be in writing. Only persons who have been committed for 1 year or
more shall be deemed to be released on
probation, provided, the Department by general rule may lower said
period of time.parole
Section 8. Amend § 4352, Title 11 by making deletions as shown as strikethrough as follows:
§ 4352. Return of violator of parole ; procedure and action on violation. or conditional
release
(a) At any time
during release on parole or conditional release under
parole the Board or any member thereof may issue a warrant for the arrest of a
released person for violation of any of the conditions of release, or a notice
to appear to answer to a charge of violation. Such notice shall be served
personally upon the person. The warrant shall authorize any officer authorized
to serve process in this State to return the person to the actual custody of
the correctional facility from which the person was released, or to any other
suitable detention facility designated by the Board or Department. When, in the
judgment of the Commissioner or of any probation and parole officer, there has
been a violation of the conditions of release, the Commissioner or the
probation and parole officer may arrest such parolee or releasee without
a warrant, or the Commissioner or the probation and parole officer may deputize
any other officer with power of arrest to do so by giving officer a written
statement setting forth that the parolee or releasee has,
in the judgment of the Commissioner or probation and parole officer, violated
the conditions of parolee's release. The written statement delivered with the
person by the arresting officers to the official in charge of the facility to
which the person is brought for detention shall be sufficient warrant for
detaining the parolee.
(b) After making an arrest the Department shall present to the detaining authorities a statement of the circumstances of violation. Pending hearing, as hereinafter provided, upon any charge of violation, the person shall remain incarcerated in the institution.
(c) Upon such arrest and detention, the Department shall immediately notify the Board and shall submit a report showing in what manner the person had violated the conditions of release. The Board shall cause the person to be brought promptly before it for a hearing on the violation charge, under such rules and regulations as the Board may adopt.
(d) If the violation
is established by the hearing, the Board may continue or revoke the parole , or enter such other order as it may
see fit. or
conditional release
(e) A person for whose return a warrant has been issued by the Board shall, if it is found that the warrant cannot be served, be deemed to be a fugitive from justice or to have fled from justice.
(f) If it shall appear that the person has violated the provisions of the person's release, the Board shall determine whether the time from the issuing of the warrant to the date of the person's arrest, or any part of it, shall be counted as time under the sentence.
(g) Any person who
commits a crime while at large on parole or conditional release and
is convicted and sentenced therefor shall serve the unexpired portion of the
term under which the person was released consecutively after any new sentence
for the new offense.
Section 9. Amend § 4381(d), Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining as follows:
(d) "Good
time" may be earned by participation in education, rehabilitation, work,
or other programs as designated by the Commissioner. Good time may be awarded
for satisfactory participation in approved programs at a rate of up to 5 days
per calendar month. Up to 60 days of
additional good time may be awarded for successful completion of an approved
program designed to reduce recidivism.
Section 10. Amend § 4381(e), Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown as strikethrough as follows:
(e) No more than a
total of 100 160 days of "good time" may be earned in
any 1 year consisting of 365 days actually served.
Section 11. Amend § 4383, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown as strikethrough as follows:
§§ 4383, 4384
[Reserved].
§ 4383. Earned Compliance
Credit for Probation.
(a) Subject to the limitations set forth in § 4333(d) of this title, periods of probation may be reduced by earned
compliance credit under the provisions of this chapter and rules and
regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Corrections.
(b) Persons under supervision may earn up to 30
days of credit for 30 days of compliance with conditions of supervision, not to
exceed half of their probationary period.
Earned compliance credit will be
forfeited upon conviction of a new crime and may be forfeited upon revocation
of probation.
(c)
A period of conditional release shall be served concurrently with the
probationary period.
Section
12. Amend §4384, Title 11 of the
Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strike through
as follows:
§4384.
[Reserved.]
Section 13. Amend §4392(a), Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining as follows:
(a) An offender sentenced to
supervision Level I, II or III is not eligible for house arrest placement
unless specifically ordered by the sentencing judge., or as a result
of administrative detention under §
4334(d) of this title.
Section 14. Amend § 6531(a), Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as shown by strikethrough as follows:
(a) Persons
committed to the institutional care of the Department shall be dealt with
humanely, with effort directed to their rehabilitation.
To the maximum extent possible, the Department shall evaluate each person
using an objective risk and needs assessment instrument and shall create a case
plan for those persons assessed to be moderate- to high-risk that targets the
need factors identified by the assessment.
The Department shall prioritize the provision of such evaluations
according to the length of sentence and the severity of the conduct giving rise
to the sentence of incarceration. The Department shall make efforts to provide
treatment and services responsive to the person’s needs and characteristics. Use of the objective risk assessment
instrument shall commence by December 31, 2013.
Section 15. Amend § 6531, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by creating a new subsection (g) therein and making insertions as shown by underlining as follows:
(g)
The Department shall undertake an assessment of its ability to meet treatment
and rehabilitation needs of the confined population every three years and
endeavor to provide programs in accordance with identified needs. The first
report shall be completed by December 31, 2012.
Section 16. Amend § 8903, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and renumbering the following subsections as follows:
In pursuit of
its mission, the Statistical Analysis Center shall have the following powers,
duties and functions:
(1) Generate statistical and
analytical products concerning crime and the criminal justice system in the
State;
(2) Provide statistical and
analytical services from available information upon request;
(3) Provide technical assistance
in the identification of sources, collection, analysis, interpretation and
dissemination of criminal justice statistics to state and local governmental
agencies;
(4) Identify, collect, analyze
and disseminate statistics regarding the resources expended on criminal justice
in the State;
(5) Promote the orderly
development of criminal justice information and statistical systems within the
State;
(6) Maintain a state-level
capability for providing state and local governments with access to federal
resources in criminal justice statistical information in cooperation with the
U.S. Department of Justice,
(7) Serve as the clearinghouse
and point of contact for the U.S. Department of Justice and for state agencies,
local government agencies, the courts, and appropriate nongovernmental
organizations;
(8) Direct or participate in the
research design for the analysis of crime or criminal justice issues for the
State; and
(9) Conduct research and provide
analyses as required to determine the impact proposed policy changes may have
on the criminal justice system.; and
(10) Submit annually to the
Governor, Chief Justice, President Pro Tem of the Senate, and the Speaker of
the House a report examining one-year, two-year, and three-year rates of
re-arrest, reconviction, and recommitment of released offender cohorts. The first report shall be submitted by July
31, 2013.
Section 17. If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end the provisions of this Act are declared to be severable.
SYNOPSIS
This Act implements the recommendations of the Justice Reinvestment Task Force created by Executive Order No. 27. The Act promotes informed decision-making in the criminal justice system by institutionalizing the use of evidenced-based practices in decisions concerning bail, rehabilitation and probation supervision and helps ensure scarce resources are focused on higher-risk offenders. The Task Force recommends the use of a pretrial risk assessment tool to inform release decisions. The Act provides for implementation of an objective assessment instrument that gauges defendants’ risk of flight and re-arrest to help magistrates make informed about the terms or conditions of pre-trial release. The instrument would incorporate elements to ensure the safety of victims of domestic and sexual violence. In addition, the Act requires the Statistical Analysis Center to provide magistrates with data on rates of re-arrest and failures to appear for a scheduled court date. This would create a track record for release decisions, helping to improve future decision-making. The Task Force recommends holding offenders accountable. The Act provides that court-ordered investigations should include use of an objective risk and needs assessment tool by the Department of Correction, which would be required to create a case plan for higher risk individuals. The Act also amends when the Department of Correction can reclassify offenders sentenced to Supervision Levels I, II, or III upon administration of an objective risk and need assessment instrument. The Act clarifies that the Department of Correction may use home confinement to resolve technical and minor violations of probation or supervision. The Act clarifies that upon release from Level V incarceration, the offender shall be deemed to have served the entire period of incarceration and shall be supervised in the community if the sentence requires. To incentivize completion of evidence-based programs that reduce recidivism, offenders may reduce time served by up to 60 days per year if programs are completed successfully. Offenders under community supervision may earn credit for successful compliance with conditions of probation. The Task Force recommends the use of evidence-based programs and assessment tools to direct resources toward programs that improve outcomes. The Act provides that the Department of Correction will use a risk assessment instrument for case planning and will use evidence-based programs to reduce offender risk. Further, the Act directs the Department of Correction to evaluate the availability of community-based programs that reduce risk of re-offense. The Statistical Analysis Center shall annually produce a recidivism report of one-year two-year and three-year rates of re-arrest, reconviction and recommitment of released offender cohorts. This Act is not intended to create a private right of action. |
Author: Sen. Blevins