Bill Overview
Title: Safer Supervision Act of 2022
Description: This bill modifies provisions relating to the terms of supervised release after imprisonment, including by (1) requiring individualized assessments and written explanations by the court as to whether supervised release is appropriate, and (2) providing a presumption of early termination of supervised release if the individual has served half of the term and meets certain other criteria.
Sponsors: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals under supervised release after imprisonment
Estimated Size: 4400000
- The Safer Supervision Act of 2022 affects individuals who are under supervised release after imprisonment.
- Supervised release is typically a phase following incarceration where individuals must comply with certain terms and is akin to parole.
- The bill aims to provide individualized assessments, meaning each case will be reviewed specifically rather than using a broad standard.
- This modification implies greater flexibility and possibly shorter terms of supervised release for individuals meeting specific criteria.
- By allowing for early termination of supervised release, individuals who demonstrate good behavior may have an opportunity to reintegrate fully into society sooner.
Reasoning
- The Safer Supervision Act of 2022 primarily affects individuals on supervised release, potentially shortening the duration for those who meet specified criteria through individualized assessments.
- Approximately 4.4 million individuals are under some form of supervised release in the U.S., with hopes to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society.
- The policy's impact is high for those who are directly under conditional release or parole, while others in the general population may be implicitly affected by changes in supervision systems or public safety norms.
- Given the budget constraints, implementation of this policy might involve prioritizing resources towards high-impact cases or areas, leading to varying degrees of effect among the population under supervised release.
Simulated Interviews
Construction Worker (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy gives me hope to end my supervised release early if I continue to meet the requirements.
- Having an individualized assessment makes me feel like not just a number in the system.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Chef (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it’s great because I’ve been working hard to turn things around and deserve a second chance.
- Having criteria that consider individual actions is good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retail Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this new policy can assist me in getting back to leading a normal life quicker than expected.
- It is reassuring to know each case is reviewed individually.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (New York, NY)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am older and have served my time; a fair review can greatly help older reformed individuals like me.
- I appreciate the flexibility the policy introduces.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Student (Miami, FL)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's inspiring to have a tangible way to end my supervised release ahead of schedule based on my current conduct.
- The policy supports people who genuinely want to reform.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Social Worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could help many of my clients reintegrate faster, turning their lives around.
- It’s necessary to offer pathways for those showing dedication to change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Tech Support Specialist (Houston, TX)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- By allowing early termination, it can lessen the burden on people who are already working towards reintegration.
- Every case deserves a unique look to ensure fair treatment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Librarian (Seattle, WA)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It will be interesting to see how this policy changes the landscape for supervised release and recidivism rates.
- Reform is crucial for fair justice systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Freelance Writer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy's success will depend on how effectively it can be implemented within existing budget constraints.
- Offering early terminations could make transitions smoother for those already reintegrating.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired Teacher (Boston, MA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Early termination needs strong safeguards to ensure community safety while supporting reformed individuals.
- The individualized assessments if done thoroughly are a positive step.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $25000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $35000000)
Year 2: $20000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $30000000)
Year 3: $15000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $25000000)
Year 5: $12000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $22000000)
Year 10: $10000000 (Low: $0, High: $20000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $-5000000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- The cost and savings estimates depend heavily on the effectiveness of the criteria and the execution of individualized assessments.
- Costs associated with training or hiring additional personnel for assessments should be monitored.
- The potential for significant cost savings grows over time as the criteria for early termination are adopted system-wide.