New York State DOCCS BJA FY 2014 Swift and Certain Sanctions Project

The Swift and Certain Sanctions (SAC)/Replicating the Concepts Behind Project HOPE program provides funding to states, units of local government, territories, and federally recognized Indian tribes (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior) in an effort to enhance public safety, foster collaboration, and to improve the outcomes of individuals under the supervision of community corrections.

The goals of Swift and Certain Sanctions (SAC)/Replicating the Concepts Behind Project HOPE program, funded by Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, Pub. L. No. 113-76, 128 Stat. 5, 63, §§ 22 and 29, are to develop and enhance SAC initiatives and implement the SAC model with fidelity, resulting in reduced recidivism and better outcomes for program participants. SAC approaches are intended to: (a) improve supervision strategies that reduce recidivism; (b) promote and increase collaboration among agencies and officials who work in community corrections and related fields; (c) enhance the offenders perception that the supervision decisions are fair, consistently applied and consequences are transparent; and (d) improve the outcomes of individuals participating in these initiatives.

The grant recipient will use the grant to transform the parolee supervision process and improve recidivism outcomes. The target population will include parolees assigned to three to five bureaus in geographically diverse areas. SAC sanctions and rewards will determine how offenders will be supervised while risk and needs assessments will determine the duration and intensity of supervision. Prior to implementation, staff will be trained to understand and effectively deliver the program. Parolees will be oriented, learning about the consequences and rewards of their behavior. Outcome measures will include reductions in recidivism, victimization, and absconding, while ensuring parolees are not returned to prison unnecessarily.

CA/NCF