Criminal Justice (Probation & Parole)

This bill amends New York's correction law to adjust eligibility for prison work release programs. It expands eligibility to include incarcerated individuals within two years of parole eligibility (previously limited to 18 months for some), while maintaining exclusions for those convicted of specific violent crimes, sex offenses, or certain drug offenses. Key provisions require commissioner approval for participation in work release for individuals convicted of offenses involving deadly weapons, serious physical injury, or forcible compulsion, and explicitly bars participation for those sentenced for aggravated murder, rape, or other serious sexual offenses. The changes directly affect incarcerated individuals in New York state prisons seeking work release opportunities, with eligibility determined by offense type and time served.

Requires the department of corrections and community supervision to create a family reunion program to provide eligible incarcerated individuals and their families the opportunity to meet for an extended period of time in a residential setting.

S 5078 requires the State Board of Parole to include in its annual report the specific release voting rate for each individual parole commissioner when reviewing applicants for community supervision or deportation. This mandates tracking and reporting how often each commissioner votes to release people appearing before the board, broken down by demographic categories like age, gender, race, and ethnicity. The bill directly affects parole commissioners (who make release decisions) and the State Board of Parole (which compiles the report). It adds this transparency measure to existing reporting requirements without changing parole eligibility or procedures.