(a) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is hereby authorized to create the Parole Violation Intermediate Sanctions (PVIS) program. The purpose of the program shall be to improve the rehabilitation of parolees, reduce recidivism, reduce prison overcrowding, and improve public safety through the use of intermediate sanctions for offenders who violate parole. The PVIS program will allow the department to provide parole agents an early opportunity to intervene with parolees who are not in compliance with the conditions of parole and facing return to prison. The program will include key components used by drug and collaborative courts under a highly structured model, including close supervision and monitoring by a hearing officer, dedicated calendars, nonadversarial proceedings, frequent appearances before the hearing officer, utilization of incentives and sanctions, frequent drug and alcohol testing, immediate entry into treatment and rehabilitation programs, and close collaboration between the program, parole, and treatment to improve offender outcomes. The program shall be local and community based.

(b) As used in this section:

(1) “Department” means the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(2) “Parole authority” means the Board of Parole Hearings.

(3) “Program” means the Parole Violation Intermediate Sanctions program.

(c) (1) A parolee who is deemed eligible by the department to participate in this program, and who would otherwise be referred to the parole authority to have his or her parole revoked for a parole violation shall be referred by his or her parole officer for participation in the program in lieu of parole revocation.

(2) If the alleged violation of parole involves the commission of a serious felony, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7, or a violent felony, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, or involves the control or use of a firearm, the parolee shall not be eligible for referral to the program in lieu of revocation of parole.

(d) The department is authorized to establish local PVIS programs. Each local program may have, but shall not be limited to, the following characteristics:

(1) An assigned hearing officer who is a retired superior court judge or commissioner and who is experienced in using the drug court model and collaborative court model.

(2) The use of a dedicated calendar.

(3) Close coordination between the hearing officer, department, counsel, community treatment and rehabilitation programs participating in the program and adherence to a team approach in working with parolees.

(4) Enhanced accountability through the use of frequent program appearances by parolees in the program, at least one per month, with more frequent appearances in the time period immediately following the initial referral to the program and thereafter in the discretion of the hearing officer.

(5) Reviews of progress by the parolee as to his or her treatment and rehabilitation plan and abstinence from the use of drugs and alcohol through progress reports provided by the parole agent as well as all treatment and rehabilitation providers.

(6) Mandatory frequent drug and alcohol testing.

(7) Graduated in-custody sanctions may be imposed after a hearing in which it is found the parolee failed treatment and rehabilitation programs or continued in the use of drugs or alcohol while in the program.

(8) A problemsolving focus and team approach to decisionmaking.

(9) Direct interaction between the parolee and the hearing officer.

(10) Accessibility of the hearing officer to parole agents and parole employees as well as treatment and rehabilitation providers.

(e) Upon successful completion of the program, the parolee shall continue on parole, or be granted other relief as shall be determined in the sole discretion of the department or as authorized by law.

(f) The department is authorized to develop the programs. The parole authority is directed to convene in each county where the programs are selected to be established, all local stakeholders, including, but not limited to, a retired superior court judge or commissioner, designated by the Administrative Office of the Courts, who shall be compensated by the department at the present rate of pay for retired judges and commissioners, local parole agents and other parole employees, the district attorney, the public defender, an attorney actively representing parolees in the county and a private defense attorney designated by the public defenders association, the county director of alcohol and drug services, behavioral health, mental health, and any other local stakeholders deemed appropriate. Specifically, persons directly involved in the areas of substance abuse treatment, cognitive skills development, education, life skills, vocational training and support, victim impact awareness, anger management, family reunification, counseling, residential care, placement in affordable housing, employment development and placement are encouraged to be included in the meeting.

(g) The department, in consultation with local stakeholders, shall develop a plan that is consistent with this section. The plan shall address at a minimum the following components:

(1) The method by which each parolee eligible for the program shall be referred to the program.

(2) The method by which each parolee is to be individually assessed as to his or her treatment and rehabilitative needs and level of community and court monitoring required, participation of counsel, and the development of a treatment and rehabilitation plan for each parolee.

(3) The specific treatment and rehabilitation programs that will be made available to the parolees and the process to ensure that they receive the appropriate level of treatment and rehabilitative services.

(4) The criteria for continuing participation in, and successful completion of, the program, as well as the criteria for termination from the program and return to the parole revocation process.

(5) The development of a program team, as well as a plan for ongoing training in utilizing the drug court and collaborative court nonadversarial model.

(h) (1) If a parolee is referred to the program by his or her parole agent, as specified in this section, the hearing officer in charge of the local program to which the parolee is referred shall determine whether the parolee will be admitted to the program.

(2) A parolee may be excluded from admission to the program if the hearing officer determines that the parolee poses a risk to the community or would not benefit from the program. The hearing officer may consider the history of the offender, the nature of the committing offense, and the nature of the violation. The hearing officer shall state its findings, and the reasons for those findings, on the record.

(3) If the hearing officer agrees to admit the parolee into the program, any pending parole revocation proceedings shall be suspended contingent upon successful completion of the program as determined by the program hearing officer.

(i) A special condition of parole imposed as a condition of admission into the program consisting of a residential program shall not be established without a hearing in front of the hearing officer in accordance with Section 3068 and regulations of the parole authority. A special condition of parole providing an admission to the program that does not consist of a residential component may be established without a hearing.

(j) Implementation of this section by the department is subject to the appropriation of funding for this purpose as provided in the Budget Act of 2008, and subsequent budget acts.

(Added by Stats. 2007, Ch. 645, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2008.)