Program Authorization: R.S. 15:574.2-15:574.20 and R.S. 401-409
The mission of the Field Services Program is to supervise adult offenders who are released on probation or parole.
The goals of the Field Services Program are:
The Field Services Program provides skilled supervision of remanded clients; supplies competent investigative reports involved with sentencing, release, and clemency; and fulfills extradition requirements. Supervision is also exercised over three contract work release centers and the intensive parole cases in the IMPACT program. The division is in charge of collecting various criminal justice funds, supervision fees, victim's restitution, and so forth. Services are provided through offices located in Alexandria, Amite, Baton Rouge, Chalmette, Clinton, Harvey, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Leesville, Minden, Monroe, Natchitoches, New Iberia, New Orleans-West, New Orleans-East, Port Allen (West Baton Rouge), Shreveport, Tallulah, Thibodaux, and Ville Platte.
According to a 1998 Legislative Fiscal Office survey, Louisiana has the fourth highest caseload per agent among southern and south central states. Louisiana's "contact" rate (the number of contacts a supervision officer makes with an offender under supervision during a month) remains approximately one-half that of most other states in the southern region.
Caseload is not the same as workload. Workload considers not only the number of cases but the level of supervision and number of contacts as well. Although Louisiana law (R.S. 15.571.20) requires a 50-unit workload for adult probation and parole officers, that workload level has been routinely exceeded in many field offices. Act 394 of 1995 requires that, beginning July 1, 1995, the number of work units assigned to each probation and parole specialist performing supervisory and investigative functions be reduced until the number of work units assigned does not exceed fifty. Act 394 further specifies that, beginning July 1, 1997, the department shall not assign more than 50 work units to any probation and parole specialist. However, this goal is contingent upon the availability of funding.
OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Unless otherwise indicated, all objectives are to be accomplished during or by the end of FY 1999-2000. Performance indictors are made up of two parts: name and value. The indicator name describes what is being measured. The indicator value is the numeric value or level achieved within a given measurement period. For budgeting purposes, performance indicator values are shown for the prior fiscal year, the current fiscal year, and alternative funding scenarios (continuation budget level and Executive Budget recommendation level) for the ensuing fiscal year (the fiscal year of the budget document).
RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR THE PROGRAM
This program is funded with State General Fund and Fees and Self-generated Revenues. The Fees and Self-generated Revenues are derived from fees collected from those individuals who are on probation and parole to partially reimburse the agency for the cost of their supervision.
ANALYSIS OF RECOMMENDATION
The total means of financing for this program is recommended at 102.1% of the existing operating budget. It represents 58.0% of the total request ($56,657,151) for this program. The increase in State General Fund is primarily due to the replacement of Fees and Self-Generated Revenues with State General Fund to properly reflect the projected collection of Probation and Parole fees.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
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Transfer America, Inc.; contract to return prisoners to Louisiana |
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ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS