February 25, 2012

Summary and comparisons of parole board appearances for A1 violent offenders in 2011

CURE-NY give the following unofficial summary and comparisons of parole board appearances and releases in 2011 for A1 violent offenders.

2011 A1VF SUMMARIES AND COMPARISONS:

INITIAL BOARDS:
218 interviews, 26 releases; for a release rate of 12%. Two of those 26 were rescinded. In 2007 there were 41 initial releases, 25 in 2008 after the hearing held by Senator Nozzolio, in 2009 there were 38 initial releases, and 39 in 2010, making 2011 the second lowest number of release decisions, as well as the second lowest rate of releases, in the last five years. Three of those initial release decisions were for deportation only, making the % of those released to their home communities 10.5%

REAPPEARANCES:
979 interviews, 209 releases; for a release rate of 21%. That is the second highest in the past five years. 31 of the 209 were released for deportation making the rate released to the U.S. 18%. Four of the 209 were released to another state and another 4 were released on special consideration hearings.

MEDICAL PAROLE:
This year saw what is believed to be the first A1VFs released on medical parole. A man was released on a medical parole board, although he had been parole eligible since 2002. A woman was released on a "true" medical parole board several years before reaching her parole eligibility date.

GENDER BREAKDOWN:
Of the 218 initial interviews, 212 were males (97%), 6 were females (3%). Of the 26 initial releasees, 25 were males (96%), 1 was female (4%).

Of the 979 reappearance interviews, 957 were males (98%), 22 were women (2%). Of the 209 releasees, 201 were male (96%) and 8 were female (4%).

RACIAL/ETHNIC BREAKDOWN:
Of the 218 INITIAL interviews, 123 (56%) were Black, 58 (27%) were Hispanic, and 32 (15%) were White. Of the 26 initial releasees, 16 were black (62%), 8 were Hispanic (31%) and 2 were White (8%). (Remaining numbers are other and unknown ethnicities.)

Of the 979 REAPPEARANCE interviews, 522 (53%) were Black, 239 (24%) were Hispanic, and 208 (21%) were White. Of the 209 releasees, 116 were Black (55%), 61 (29%) were Hispanic [or 51 and 24% excluding deportations], and 28 (13%) White. Remaining numbers are other and unknown ethnicities.

PRISON CATEGORY:
MEDIUMS: 728 (61%) of all interviews with 178 released (75% of releasees).
MAXIMUMS: 451 (38%) of all interviews with 57 released (24% of releasees).
The remaining interviews were in other facilities such as Walsh Medical Center or CNYPC.

HOW MANY BOARDS–NUMBER OF RELEASES–PERCENT OF TOTAL (235):
First —26–11%
Second —41–17%
Third —43–18%
Fourth —28–12%
Fifth —30–13%
Sixth —24–10%
Seventh —12*–5% *includes 1 medical release
Eighth —14–6%
Ninth —5–2%
Tenth —7–3%
Eleventh —4–1.6%
Twelfth —2–0.8%

AGES AND LENGTH OF INCARCERATION:
9 of those released were between the ages of 73 and 83, all on reappearances.
26 of those released were in prison since the 1970s, one since the 1960s, 111 since the 1980s and 97 since the 1990s.
[2 of the initial releasees were born after 27 of the other releasees had gone to prison.]

**None of the previous numbers are official or scientific; nor account for any de novo boards. The results are based upon unofficial, best efforts research. Please FOIL the Board of Parole for exact and official data.