MEMO

TO: Gov. Wolf and Members of the General Assembly

FROM: Bob Dick, Senior Policy Analyst
DATE: May 25, 2017
SUBJECT: Merger of Corrections and Probation and Parole

The Commonwealth Foundation would like to express its support for your efforts to streamline
the states corrections system. As you may know, we provided testimony in January in support
of the Department of Corrections plan to close two prisons, feeling the closures would better
utilize taxpayer resources without increasing risk of harm to those inside and outside the
system.
However, prison closures are just one component of a comprehensive plan to make
Pennsylvanias criminal justice system work for all. This is why were supportive of reforms
recommended by the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) Working Group, which would further
reduce costs and help provide offenders with a smooth transition back into society without
jeopardizing public safety.
The Commonwealth Foundation also favors the commonsense proposal to merge the
Department of Corrections (DOC) and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole (PBPP)
into one department. This merger would allow for better implementation of the JRI
recommendations and other criminal justice reforms. It will also lower costs, improve services,
and reduce crime in the commonwealth.
The DOC has repeatedly emphasized the need for the merger to eliminate department
redundancies. Allowing bureaucratic hurdles to hinder recidivism reduction efforts is simply
unacceptable.
In March of 2015, Secretary Wetzel identified the problem with the current organizational
structure, even going so far as to identify a disorganized process as the reason for some repeat
offenses. When logistical mistakes make the difference between someone going back to prison
and becoming a productive member of their community, it becomes a moral imperative to
minimize or eliminate such mistakes. The merger would undoubtedly help accomplish this
important goal.
Critics have raised questions about the merger, primarily concerning how the boards
independence would be affected if it were housed with the DOC under the new Department of
Criminal Justice. While we understand this concern, it should not serve as a roadblock to
reform. The current proposal would protect the boards independence to ensure political
pressure does not influence the boards decisions.
Moreover, transparency and oversight measures could be put in place to ensure strict oversight
of the decision-making process.
The DOC has already created a dashboard of select statisticsincluding violation ratesso
public officials and taxpayers alike can monitor trends driven by the new parole board.
Theyve also proposed an independent audit of parole violation practices to ensure the board is
carrying out its functions properly and is free from political influence. This type of oversight
should help allay the fears of those who rightly believe justice should never be politicized.
Officials on both sides of the aisle have expressed support for redesigning state government. The
Commonwealth Foundation agrees that this merger presents one such opportunity.
With this merger, the state can reduce recidivism, create a more fair and equitable criminal
justice system, and save tax dollars.
We look forward to working further with you on these important goals.