1Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
2conduct a study on the costs and services of the county adult
3probation system.

4WHEREAS, County adult probation departments fill a critical
5need in this Commonwealth's criminal justice system; and

6WHEREAS, According to the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and
7Parole's annual statistical report released in 2012, offenders
8supervised by county adult probation departments represented 86%
9of the total offenders on supervision, while 13% were supervised
10by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; and

11WHEREAS, The number of offenders supervised by county adult
12probation and parole departments totaled 241,723, according to
13the report released by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and
14Parole in 2012; and

15WHEREAS, The number of adult offenders supervised by county
16probation and parole departments increased by 4,549 offenders or
171.9% between December 2011 and December 2012, according to the
18report released by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and

1Parole in 2012; and

2WHEREAS, The number of county probation officers supervising
3a caseload increased by 34 adult probation officers between
4December 2011 and December 2012, according to the report
5released by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole in
62012; and

7WHEREAS, The average caseload is 148 offenders per county
8adult probation officer, according to the 2012 statistical
9report of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; and

10WHEREAS, The General Assembly enacted legislation in 1965 to
11provide a grant-in-aid program in order to support county adult
12probation and parole departments; and

13WHEREAS, Grant-in-aid has been provided to the 65 counties
14with adult probation and parole departments since fiscal year
151966-1967; and

16WHEREAS, The objectives of the grant-in-aid program are to
17maintain, improve and expand county adult probation and parole
18personnel and program services, provide protection to the public
19through effective community correctional services and provide
20training to county adult probation and parole personnel; and

21WHEREAS, The House of Representatives last received a report
22from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee entitled "A
23Study of Costs and Services in Pennsylvania's County Adult
24Probation System" in 2000 through the adoption of House
25Resolution 251; therefore be it

26RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
27Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the county
28adult probation system, specifically the grant-in-aid formula,
29county costs and supervision fees to determine the impact on the
30quality and level of program services offered through the county

1adult probation system; and be it further

2RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
3report its findings to the House of Representatives by November
430, 2014.