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Family ConcernsI am a family member of a program candidate or current program resident ... What can I expect?“Grace House" program design is to assist and hold accountable selected parolees, providing transitional services upon their release in an effort to help them establish a firm foundation in society and remain free. Prior to admission and often during the candidate selection review process, family members contact “Grace House” in an effort to promote, endorse or aid “GH” staff in the decision making process. “Grace House" Staff does not consider family member referrals, endorsements or
letters of Family members who after review of program specific materials (program rules and guidelines) believe or understand the inmate candidate may be a potential program candidate should encourage the inmate to write “Grace House” directly requesting an application. Simply being un-domiciled (homeless) or the family member is unwilling to allow the inmate to live with them are not a valid enough reasons to apply to “Grace House.” The program rules are detailed and enforced providing a higher degree of daily accountability then normal parole release conditions. “Grace House” program rules are added to a paroles release conditions as an additional condition of parole release. The family member may also encourage the inmate to request “Grace House” Program material directly from the prison counseling staff, prison chaplain and or the prison facility parole representative assigned to the inmate. “Grace House” recommends that a potential applicant begin the program application review process six to nine months prior to the schedule Parole Board appearance date or scheduled Conditional Release (CR) date.Prior to selection to program, “Grace House” staff does not provide letters
of reasonable May I send personal items to “Grace House” prior to parolee arrival?No - “Grace House” is a secured facility and no personal property will be accepted until program candidate arrives and is processed into program. May I contact “Grace House” by collect call or call prior to inmate release to determine inmate release dates?“Grace House” receives no third party calls, collect calls and releases no personal information to include state prison release dates. Staff receives calls during normal business hours Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Candidate approved to program and granted parole release date:Parolee is processed into program within twenty four hours of release. Parolees are instructed upon release from prison they must report directly to Buffalo field parole and make their initial parole arrival report. Immediately upon making the initial arrival report the parolee is directed and expected to report immediately to “Grace House” for intake processing. In the event a Parolee arrives in Buffalo after 5:00 PM and the Parole office is closed, the parolee is instructed to report immediately to “Grace House” for processing and receive further instructions. Inmates are released from prison with a minimum of $40.00. Inmates are encouraged to reserve money to pay for transportation to “Grace House” after he arrives in Buffalo. Taxis from downtown Buffalo to “Grace House” are $7.00 while a bus ride will cost less than $3.00. Parolee has access to pay telephones and is able to make contact with approved
family Parolee will be subject to program restrictions. Movement restrictions and
parole Parolee receives information related to “mail” address, family visitation and
clothing Parolee is responsible to contact family and inform family of what clothing and personal articles they are allowed to possess. Parolee is also responsible to contact family and inform family of family visitation schedule and approved visitation times at the facility or when parolee is available to leave the facility. Normally the program candidate will have limited mobility and movement restriction during the initial ninety days of program. Parole will have mandated programs to attend and in some instances may be involved in a structure reentry program five days per week for up to twelve to fourteen weeks. Most parolee’s are unable to drive or are restricted from driving during the program stay. In the event the parolee has domestic violence charges or other related orders of protection, staff will diligent enforce and review said restrictions with parolee. In special circumstances, “GH” staff will work with the family and parolee to provide facility space for supervised visitation to aid family restoration process and adhere to conditions of orders of protection and other child custody issues in effect. Can I pick up my family member for dinner, church, shopping?Yes -- Provided parolee has completed all intake processing and released by staff to leave facility. Note: Parolee will be subject parole release conditions and movement restrictions. Often these restrictions are geographical in nature, detail not to be in the company of others on parole, do not enter/solicit a store, bar, restaurant that sells, serves alcohol as the primary business. Parolee subject to a curfew, normally 7:00 am to 10:00 pm provided facility leave does not interfere in mandated program responsibilities. Can the Parolee work?The Program candidate will be applying for social services upon admission to “Grace House.” The Erie County DSS processes the applicant in order to secure Medicaid and rent reimbursements to cover program expenses. Parolee is often required by Parole to participate in numerous addiction treatment programs. Upon completion of mandated programs, typically twelve weeks (12), the parolee is introduced to potential employers or educational job training programs to encourage full time employment. Program residents rely upon public transportation in order to move about and meet program requirements. Can the Program Parolee visit my home?Yes -- Subject to program restrictions, Parole release conditions and other parole special conditions, Parolee should be allowed to visit your residence provided there are no other parolees in residence, orders of protection in place or geographical movement restrictions that prohibit parolee from visiting your address. Is Parole/Program curfew important?Yes -- Parolee is subject to curfew while he is on parole. Parolee is responsible to be in the approved program residence prior to curfew. Arrival at the facility past the approved curfew is a program violation and subject’s parolee to program discharge and possible violation of parole. Excuses for being late are not accepted. It is the Parolees duty to make sure his schedule provides sufficient time to return to the facility. Missing the bus, car won’t start, typical excuses, have all been used and generally not accepted and places the parolee in jeopardy of program discharge. Family Member --- “knowing parolees release conditions”All Parolees are subject to thirteen standard conditions of parole release. At the discretion of Parole and after field parole performs a criminal history review additional conditions of parole release may be added to a parolee’s lease. Each parolee is presented with the release mandates and asked to sign acknowledging his awareness of the special conditions. Additionally “Grace House” may impose certain program restrictions. We strongly suggest each family member to request a copy of the parole conditions and review them with the parolee. It is your obligation to know these restrictions and programming rules. For example; a parolee may have had a sexual criminal history though he may have plead to a lesser charge, state parole will require certain restrictions due to the criminal sexual offense history. The parolee may be restricted from attending events, public and private spaces where any one under the age of 18 is present. This condition would severely restrict a parolees movement and social interaction in public and at family events. Another example: If a parolee is under treatment for alcoholism, has a history of alcohol abuse and repeated criminal acts due to the history of alcohol abuse, the parolee should not be near, in the company of anyone actively using, drinking or enticing the parolee to use or participate in such behavior. Family functions, parties, social events where alcohol is served should be avoided. |
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