The SCI Mahanoy Parole Office consists of one supervisor, six parole agents and two institutional parole assistants (IPAs). The IPAs prepare the files for the office and gather relevant information needed for the parole agents preparing to interview the inmates. Parole agents will generally interview an inmate one month prior to their seeing the board. They will compile all pertinent information regarding the inmate that the Parole Board would like to know. During the interview, the agents will discuss the inmate's prior offense history, programs, reentry plan, etc. The agent will then documentation and send it on to the parole supervisor for final presentation to the Parole Board.
Once the inmate meets with the Board and a decision is made to parole/not parole, the parole office will either prepare to put the inmate on another docket to begin the release process/see the board in the future. The release process consists of sending out home plans, making community corrections center referrals, ordering urinalysis and working with the DOC Records Department to clear the inmate to parole out into the community. Once DOC Records provides the Parole Office with a release date, the parole agent completes the finishing touches for the inmate's release (contacting OVA, entering release information into the computer system and completing the Order to Release paperwork - conditions, reporting instructions, outside programing, etc.). The agent will then have the inmate sign these conditions the day before release.
The Parole Office also has many other functions that they handle on a daily basis. They include: processing parole violators, special probation paperwork, parole education classes, inmate orientation, video conferences for hard to place inmates to gain entry into a community corrections centers and Adam Walsh registrations for sexual offenders reentering the community, to name a few.
The Parole Office enjoys working hand-in-hand with DOC staff on a daily basis. It is a very pleasant work environment to have such good comradery with the DOC.
Mahanoy's Parole Office staff thank everyone at the prison for making them feel welcome and part of the team!