Sex offenders paroled to halfway houses in Pennsylvania

[PA Dad]

That makes sense that it would depend on the PO. Thanks for the info!

[PA Dad]

Correcting myself: My charge is a F3, not an F2, specifically PA 6318(a)(4) with the underlying statute being 5903(c)(1) dissemination of obscene materials to minors (essentially, I'm gonna be a registered sex offender because I let my son watch porn)

Originally Posted by PA Dad

Thanks Bobble,
VERY HELPFUL! Thank you! Would a good plan B be simply having $1000 in my commissary account, that could be used to rent a room in PA [in case they dont let me parole out directly to NJ]? Should I speak to potential landlords now?? My charge is an F2 but is not so serious that, i would hope, neighbors and landlords would object, but of course Im sure some don't want to hear anything after they hear "Sex Offender" they just assume we are all violent predators

[bobble60]

I don't want to over-analyze this situation, but a little clarification:

In PA, there are no residency or other restrictions under our SORNA. Any restrictions which arise would come solely as terms of supervision while on parole or probation. These can be part of the judge's sentencing order or they can be imposed by the supervising agency as part of their discretion.

I know Jason personally. Progress CCC has changed since he was there. His entire situation was an anomaly. To my knowlegde, it has never happened since, and I would add that he was the person who shed light on the Progress CCC five years ago.

[Mom11]

Congratulations! I need some of your expertise! Both of my sons are paroled but still sitting in the respective SCI's. Phone calls and letters go not responded to. One has an approved home plan and the others was denied. We need to get him one so he can get out before than 6 to 9 month period + they told him he'd have to sit for to get into their CCC.

[patchouli]

Hi there! bobble60 is actually the Moderator for this forum and quite knowledgeable about PA DOC and sex offender laws/requirements. He's usually online on Sundays, late morning / early afternoon.

I do understand the issues surrounding finding housing for SO's, not just in PA, but everywhere. I don't have an answer other than to try individual landlords, not places with a management company. Use the registry to your benefit to see where other SO's are living - neighborhoods, apartment, trailer parks.

You son with the approved home plan, what reason is being given for him not being released?


Welcome to PTO

[bobble60]

Originally Posted by Mom11

Congratulations! I need some of your expertise! Both of my sons are paroled but still sitting in the respective SCI's. Phone calls and letters go not responded to. One has an approved home plan and the others was denied. We need to get him one so he can get out before than 6 to 9 month period + they told him he'd have to sit for to get into their CCC.

Welcome to PTO and our PA forum. At Patchouli said, the problem for paroled former sex offenders is complex and extremely frustrating. It's also the subject of a class-action lawsuit that has already been up to a federal appeals court once. The Pennsylvania Prison Society never stops trying to fix this.

Please PM me with your sons' names and ID numbers so i can dig in to their specific cases. Sometimes there are pathways for resolution through our contacts within the DOC. At the very least, i can reach out to them and help them look for alternatives.

Bob

[Mom11]

[quote=patchouli;7802649]Hi there! bobble60 is actually the Moderator for this forum and quite knowledgeable about PA DOC and sex offender laws/requirements. He's usually online on Sundays, late morning / early afternoon.

I do understand the issues surrounding finding housing for SO's, not just in PA, but everywhere. I don't have an answer other than to try individual landlords, not places with a management company. Use the registry to your benefit to see where other SO's are living - neighborhoods, apartment, trailer parks.

You son with the approved home plan, what reason is being given for him not being released?


Welcome to PTO


TY. I have 11 adult children all but 2 of them have minor children. If Michael was here they would not be permitted to come here for any reason otherwise Michael would be violated his PO said. That would not be practical . One of my daughters keeps her horses here and she has a daughter under 2. I feel terrible for him but I understand. Hes on a waiting list for CCC Progress he was told. His wait it 9 to 12 months his in house PO told him. He is still trying to find a place to move into. I ve had no luck in this area at all. Needless to say he wants to be close to home..so this is very difficult.

[bobble60]

Although we are having this conversation in PMs, I'll repeat some points from my last message for the benefit of other members.

Paroled former sex offenders are designated as Hard-To-Place (HTP) under DOC policy 8.1.1. In Section 4, you can view the policy here:

https://www.cor.pa.gov/About%20Us/Do...%20Centers.pdf

Inmates with a positive Board action (granted parole) must submit a home plan for approval. If, within 120 days of being paroled, at least one home plan has been formally rejected, then the parolee can ask his/her counselor to initiate a referral for placement in a CCC.

The referral goes to the central office for consideration. not everyone is accepted for placement. If accepted the Central Office decides which center and when. Many paroled former sex offenders are sent to Progress CCC in Waynesburg for up to 90 days. they are then transferred to a center closer to their home area until they obtain an approved home plan.

The wait-time for a decision on placement is 45 days or less. The wait time for a bed date can be 2 to 5 months after that.

[SugarMags]

Originally Posted by bobble60

So, he's being sent to Progress CCC, which is a secure facility on the grounds of SCI Greene in Waynesburg. As you can see, about 30% of all paroled former sex offenders are sent there. In all likelihood, this is where the first bed date popped up.

The good news is that the men sent there are pretty much in-and-out within 90 days.

I found this in a google search-and I know this is probably a long shot because this post is really old. However, my dad just got sentenced to 10-20 years (with a minimum of 10) for abusing my nieces. He met with the SOAB before he was sentenced and they said he won't have to register as they don't see him a threat. And also as he was on bail awaiting sentencing he started therapy. He was sentenced on Tuesday and is in county but will be transferred to SCI Greene. Everything I'm reading says its a supermax and I feel like he won't get the help they said he'd get in prison? I mean he will be locked away for 10 years. He is 65...he will be a lot older when he gets out. So they just basically are setting him up for failure? Solitary confinement is supposed to help him? Do you know anything about it because I do not understand.

[waitinguntil001]

Originally Posted by SugarMags

...He met with the SOAB before he was sentenced and they said he won't have to register as they don't see him a threat...

I could be wrong but I do not think what you stated is accurate. Someone with a bit more knowledge please correct me if I am wrong here - but the SOAB (Sex Offender Assessment Board) is not the entity that determines if someone must register as a SO. It is determined by the law and if in the plea agreement it is accepted by the judge and the DA as part of a plea agreement because some of the plea agreement may include dropping some charges which require registration while leaving other charges in tact which are still punishable by prison time.


The SOAB more than likely stated that after the interview with your father that they will not put forth to the judge and DA that your father should be classified as a SVP (Sexually Violent Predator) but he will still have to register as a SO after getting out of prison either thru a max-out or on parole.


Yes, there has been cases in the PA Supreme Court and one of them is SVP classification and SORNA constitutionality.

[bobble60]

This is another case where I'm answering via PM and then here. We're also way off-topic in this thread.

The SOAB does not determine registration. That is established by statute, specifically Act 29 of 2018, which we now refer to as SORNA II. Since the offense occurred after December 20, 2012, the specific provisions are found in Subchapter H. I attached a chart which shows the individual crimes and their respective categories previously.

The SOAB evaluated him to decide if he met the statutory criteria for SVP. Apparently they felt he did not.

[Free At Last 5]

Over 5 years ago I had to put up a mighty fight (attorneys, etc.) to get halfway house placement in Louisville, KY. I don’t think even then it would have happened if my US Senator didn’t call the prison on my behalf. (A very powerful KY Senator) Within an hour I was given my papers with only 6 days notice to walk out the doors. It was a RARE victory, but a great way to end the saga of federal imprisonment. The upside is that the halfway house started accepting SO’s after that. Never give up fighting!

[AngryBirdBullet]

Does anyone have any information on how difficult it is to get a home plan approved now for an offender?

[bobble60]

The approval process hasn't changed but they're a bit slower as agents are using more caution with visiting homes. from those who have been through the process since the pandemic began, things seem to be roughly the same.