Norton Hearing Reveals Poor Practices by BOP & Halfway Houses (2/3/2010)

Norton Hearing Reveals Poor Practices by BOP and Halfway Houses

February 3, 2010

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) at her hearing, "Halfway Home to the District: The Role of Halfway Houses in Reducing Crime and Recidivism in the Nation's Capital," today exposed the federal Bureau of Prison's (BOP) arbitrary criteria for deciding which returning D.C. residents are admitted into the three halfway houses here. She said that she was amazed that the BOP official could not elaborate on any criteria, and said decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, without guidance. Surprisingly, Nancy G. LaVigne, director, Justice Policy Center, the Urban Institute, testified that high-, and medium-risk offenders in halfway houses have better records than low-risk offenders because low-risk offenders do better in the community with their families.

At Norton's request, BOP promised to issue a Memorandum of Understanding that will resume the issuance of non-driver's official photo I.D. to offenders, a standard proof of identity that most of them lack. At the same time, she questioned BOP about the practice of allowing halfway house operators to have sole discretion about whom to accept or reject for halfway houses in the District. She also pledged to change policy after hearing from a former halfway house resident who was forced to continue paying 25 percent of his salary to the halfway house from a job he secured on his own, even after he no longer lived there or received its services.

"The hearing revealed counterproductive inflexibility among some personnel at halfway houses, frustrating offenders' efforts to comply with the rules, find and maintain employment, and reunite with their families," Norton said. She relied on testimony from Michael White, a former resident of Hope Village halfway house, who told of mandatory substance abuse classes offered mid-week during work hours, which makes it difficult for offenders to secure and maintain employment. She also questioned BOP authorities, as well as halfway house operators, about arbitrary procedures, which can spark needless anger at a time when offenders are working on anger management.