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WILKES-BARRE — The Senate last week gave final approval to two bills that would strengthen the criminal justice system and reduce costs to taxpayers and Gov. Tom Wolf quickly signed them into law.
• Senate Bill 500, sponsored by Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, would redirect a portion of these savings to strengthen county probation and parole services. A County Adult Probation and Parole Advisory Committee would be established to make funding recommendations. The committee would also be responsible for reviewing grant applications for county intermediate punishment programs.
• Senate Bill 501, which was sponsored by Sen. Tom Killion, R-West Chester, would streamline the placement of offenders in drug treatment programs and other intermediate punishment programs, and improve and expedite the parole process for nonviolent offenders. The bill would divert many nonviolent offenders with short sentences to county probation and parole systems if they meet certain qualifications. It is estimated to save the Commonwealth $45 million over the first five years.
The two bills are part of a second phase of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative which was created by lawmakers in 2012. Since its creation, JRI has helped reduce the inmate population in state prisons by more than 4,300, cut the crime rate by approximately 29%, and save $400 million in project costs to taxpayers.
“There is widespread public agreement on curtailing correctional costs through smarter sentencing practices and strengthened measures to reduce recidivism,” Baker said. “This package adds a valuable second layer of reforms aimed at overhauling the criminal justice system, in part to put more focus on rehabilitation than on pure punishment. With proper implementation, we believe that reform can work without compromising public and community safety.”
AG issues audit of state’s
voter registration system
Auditor General Eugene DePasquale this week said the Department of State must continue to work with counties to improve the accuracy of Pennsylvania’s voter registration records, based on an audit released by his office.
Conducted at the request of the Department of State, DePasquale’s audit of the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors found more than 50,000 cases of potentially inaccurate voter records.
“The Department of State must work harder to verify that registration records are accurate and up-to-date,” DePasquale said. “My audit team found too many instances of potentially bad data and sloppy record-keeping that requires guidance from the state to help counties resolve issues throughout the year.”
Although Pennsylvania counties own voter registration records, federal law requires the state to ensure the data held by the SURE system is accurate and secure.
DePasquale said the Department of State does not adequately document that it regularly monitors each county’s work to verify data is entered correctly or that the system has enough tools to help prevent data entry errors.
DePasquale said his audit team reported the following key findings:
• Weaknesses in the voter registration application process and the maintenance of voter records in the SURE system resulted in instances of potentially inaccurate voter record information.
• Data analysis identified tens of thousands of potential duplicate and inaccurate voter records, as well as nearly three thousand records for potentially deceased voters that need to be verified.
• A combination of a lack of cooperation by four county election offices and PennDOT, as well as source documents not being available for the majority of test samples, inhibited the ability to verify the accuracy of most records tested during the audit.
• The Department of State must continue to implement leading information technology security practices and information technology controls to protect the SURE system and ensure the reliability of voter registration records.
• Incorporating edit checks and other improvements into the design of the replacement system for SURE will reduce data errors and improve accuracy.
DePasquale’s team provided 50 recommendations to strengthen the Department of State’s policies and management controls. One of the key recommendations is for the Department of State to work with counties to resolve records management issues such as duplicate voter records.
DePasquale encouraged all Pennsylvania voters to check their own voter registration data online using the “Check your registration status” link at www.VotesPA.com.
He also urged the public to be alert to continuing efforts by foreign entities to influence our elections through the spread of disinformation and propaganda.
State leaders come together to
strengthen juvenile justice system
Gov. Tom Wolf, justices from across Pennsylvania and legislative leaders from the House and Senate last week jointly announced a new inter-branch effort to strengthen Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system.
The newly formed Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force is charged with delivering data-driven policy recommendations to Pennsylvania leaders in a report by Nov. 30, 2020. The recommendations will form the basis for statutory, budgetary, and administrative changes during the 2021-22 legislative session. Task force goals include protecting public safety; ensuring accountability; achieving taxpayer savings and sustained system reinvestment; and improving outcomes for youth, families and communities.
“The partnership we’re creating is an important step toward protecting vulnerable young Pennsylvanians,” Wolf said. “With this task force, we can thoroughly review our juvenile justice system and find ways to make lasting change that ensures every young Pennsylvanian is getting the support needed to grow into a successful adult.”
Pennsylvania has long been committed to achieving better juvenile justice outcomes across the three branches of government through entities such as the Juvenile Court Judges Commission and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Yet challenges remain, and the Commonwealth has one of the highest rates of juvenile commitment in the nation. The task force announced today represents a bipartisan effort to use data and research to build upon past successes and evaluate current challenges.
“Participation in this task force provides an opportunity to assess the treatment of youth who come in contact with the criminal justice system and ultimately to improve the lives of Pennsylvania youth and families,” Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Saylor said.
“I look forward to recommendations from this task force that right-size our juvenile justice system and use the best evidence available to ensure taxpayer investments are yielding the public safety results our communities deserve,” Speaker of the House Mike Turzai said.
Healthy habits urged
during holiday season
Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine last week encouraged residents to take steps to have a healthy, enjoyable holiday season by remembering to stay active, eat healthy and take steps to maintain stress levels.
“December is a wonderful time of the year to celebrate the holiday season and enjoy time with friends and family, but it also can be a time for unhealthy behaviors,” Levine said. “It is important, even with the colder weather, to remain active during the winter and take steps to eat healthy, balanced meals. It is also essential to be aware of your stress levels and have activities or outlets to release stress, if needed.”
Being active during the holiday season has a number of health benefits. A few ways to be active include taking fitness classes with friends or family, walking or working out at home.
When it comes to eating, it is important to remember balance and moderation. Parties and large family meals may make it more difficult to follow healthy eating habits. Allow yourself to have your favorite holiday foods but balance them with healthier options as well. It is important to limit fats, salt, sugary foods and drinks, and alcohol.
The holidays are often an exciting time, but they can also be stressful for many people. Feeling emotional and nervous or having trouble sleeping or eating can all be normal reactions to stress. It is important to remember that it is okay to not be okay.
Healthy ways to cope with stress include eating healthy, well-balanced meals, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep and giving yourself breaks; talking to others about how you feel; avoiding drugs and alcohol; taking breaks from items causing you stress, and recognizing when you need professional help.
