PRINTER'S NO. 2348
No. 251 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY MARSICO, BAKER, BARD, BARRAR, BELFANTI,
BENNINGHOFF, BROWNE, BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, CLARK, L. I. COHEN,
CORNELL, CURRY, DEMPSEY, DeWEESE, EGOLF, FICHTER, FLICK,
FRANKEL, GEIST, GIGLIOTTI, GODSHALL, HALUSKA, HANNA, HARHAI,
HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY, JOSEPHS, LAUGHLIN, LYNCH,
MAITLAND, MASLAND, McCALL, McILHINNEY, McNAUGHTON, MELIO,
R. MILLER, NAILOR, ORIE, PESCI, PHILLIPS, RAMOS, READSHAW,
ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCRIMENTI, SEYFERT,
SHANER, S. H. SMITH, STEELMAN, STERN, STEVENSON,
E. Z. TAYLOR, VAN HORNE, WILLIAMS, WILT, WOJNAROSKI AND
YOUNGBLOOD, OCTOBER 4, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, OCTOBER 4, 1999
A RESOLUTION
1 Calling for a cost and services study of the county adult
2 probation system by the Legislative Budget and Finance
3 Committee.
4 WHEREAS, County adult probation departments fill a critical
5 need in this Commonwealth's criminal justice system; and
6 WHEREAS, The average Statewide caseload for each county adult
7 probation officer is 160 active files, with significant
8 increases in the numbers of felony offenders and convicted sex
9 offenders under their supervision; and
10 WHEREAS, County adult probation and parole agencies provide
11 over 1,000 services and programs to the county court and
12 corrections system, ranging from investigative services to
13 supervisory functions; and
14 WHEREAS, Since 1991, county adult probation has responded to
1 the number and type of offenders placed under supervision by
2 increasing specialized offender programs such as sex offender
3 and mental health/mental retardation programs, electronic
4 monitoring and intensive supervision; and
5 WHEREAS, The Improvement of Probation Services Act of 1965
6 requires an 80% reimbursement for the salaries of county adult
7 probation officers complying with State requirements; and
8 WHEREAS, Two hundred sixty-eight adult probation officers
9 have been hired since 1991 to meet the increased demands of the
10 system, but these qualified probation officers are not included
11 under the current funding formula because the grant-in-aid
12 eligible positions have been capped by administrative order; and
13 WHEREAS, More than 95% of all county probation officers have,
14 at minimum, a bachelor's degree, but the average starting salary
15 remains far below that of the Pennsylvania State Police and
16 State parole agents; therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives call for the
18 Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study the county
19 adult probation system and specifically the grant-in-aid
20 formula, county costs and supervision fees to determine the
21 impact on the quality and level of program services offered
22 through the county adult probation system; and be it further
23 RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
24 report its findings to the House of Representatives by January
25 30, 2000.
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