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APPENDIX C

Training Provided to Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners in 2019

Commissioners and deputy commissioners receive training throughout the year during monthly Board meetings, the majority of which are open to the public. In addition to routine training required for all CDCR employees, the following training was provided to commissioners and deputy commissioners in 2019:

  • Accommodations Available for Hearing-Impaired Inmates at Parole Hearings, presented by Daniel Moeller, Associate Chief Deputy Commissioner, BPH
  • Lifer Housing in San Diego, presented by Ryan Youtsey, Parole Administrator (A), Division of Adult Parole Operations, CDCR
  • Recommendations Regarding Inmate Housing on Non-Designated Yards, presented by Connie Gipson, Deputy Director, Facility Operations, Division of Adult Institutions, CDCR & Jennifer Neill, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Articulating Decisions Involving Youth Offenders, presented by Jennifer Neill, Chief Counsel & Heather McCray, Assistant Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Legal Analysis of Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jennifer Neill, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Look into My Eyes: The Impact of Bias on the Accuracy of Assessing Accountability and Remorse, presented by Dr. Brandon Mathews, Colorado Parole Board Member & Alexandra Walker, Vice Chair, Colorado Parole Board
  • Transgender 101, presented by Adrien Lawyer, Co-Director/Co-Founder, Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico
  • Legal Implications of Applying the Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jennifer Neill, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • The Anti-Recidivism Coalition’s Hope and Redemption Team, presented by Sam Lewis, Director of Inside Program, Anti-Recidivism Coalition
  • Articulating a Decision Under the Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jennifer Neill, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Legal Implications of Applying the Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Neill, Chief Counsel, BPH & Phillip Lindsay, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Jessica Blonien and Sara Romano, Supervising Deputy Attorneys General, Attorney General’s Office
  • Applying the Structured Decision-Making Framework Using CDCR Inmate Central Files, the Strategic Offender Management System, and the Board’s Information Technology System, presented by Ralph Serin, Ph.D., C.Psych., Professor in Department of Psychology and Director of the Criminal Justice Decision Making Laboratory at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada & Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer, BPH & Robbye Braxton, Correctional Program Specialist, Dr. David Rentler & Richard Sparaco & Jonathan Ogletree, Subject Matter Experts, United States Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections
  • Legal Standard for Cases Referred En Banc, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jennifer Neill, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Risk Assessment and Parole Considerations of Long-Term Incarcerated Sex Offenders, presented by Dr. James Rokop, Chief Psychologist, Department of State Hospitals
  • Hearing Structure and Articulating a Decision Under the Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Tiffany Shultz, Chief Counsel (A), BPH
  • Nonviolent Parole Processes Under In re McGhee (2019) 34 Cal.App.5th 902, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer, BPH
  • Current Safety and Security Issues in the Institutions, presented by Ralph Diaz, Secretary & Kathleen Allison, Undersecretary, CDCR & Tiffany Shultz, Assistant Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Hearing Structure and Articulating a Decision Under the Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel & Tiffany Shultz, Assistant Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Youth Consideration Under In re Palmer (2018) 27 Cal.App.5th 120, review granted January 16, 2019, S25214, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Tiffany Shultz, Assistant Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Articulating a Decision Under the Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Applying the Legal Standards Under California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Section 2253, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Addressing Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in the Criminal Justice System: Programs, Policies, and Treatment Interventions, presented by Allison G. Robertson, Ph.D., MPH, Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine
  • Overview of the Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services, presented by Katie James, Staff Services Manager II, CDCR
  • Overview of En Banc Referrals, presented by Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Waivers, Stipulations, and Postponements, presented by Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel & Sara Puricelli, Staff Attorney, BPH
  • You Can’t Read the Label from Inside the Jar: Disruptive Truth Bombs about Criminology, Implementation Science, and Real-World Organizational Change, presented by Alexandra Walker, ABD, Director of Community Relations and Strategy, Alliance for Criminal Justice Innovation
  • Recall and Resentencing Recommendation Program, presented by Mike Masters, Correctional Captain, CDCR
  • Vicarious Trauma, presented by Brenda Crowding, Deputy Director of the Office of Internal Affairs and the Office of Civil Rights, CDCR
  • Parole Rescission, presented by Heather McCray, Assistant Chief Counsel & Chris Hoeft, Staff Attorney, BPH
  • Expanded Medical Parole, presented by George Bakerjian, Staff Attorney, BPH
  • Changes to the Panel Attorney Appointment Program, presented by Sandra Maciel, Chief Deputy of Program Operations, BPH
  • Transitional Housing: Past, Present, and Future, presented by Ryan Souza, Deputy Director, Division of Rehabilitative Programs & Ryan Youtsey, Division of Adult Parole Operations, CDCR & Tiffany Shultz, Assistant Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Analysis of Comprehensive Risk Assessments Administered in 2018, presented by Dr. Cliff Kusaj, Chief Psychologist, BPH
  • Institutional Misconduct: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives, presented by Dr. Lisa Tobin, Psychologist, BPH
  • Overview of the Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program, presented by Diana Toche, Undersecretary, Health Care Services, CDCR
  • Structured Decision-Making Framework, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • An Introduction to California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB), presented by Dr. Lea Chankin, Consulting Psychologist /CASOMB Coordinator
  • Articulating a Decision Involving Implausible Denials, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Applying the Legal Standards Under California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Section 2253, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Implementing Penal Code Sections 4802 et. Seq. Regarding Pardons and Commutations, presented by Jennifer Shaffer, Executive Officer & Jessica Blonien, Chief Counsel, BPH
  • Rehabilitative Programming at California Prison Industry Authority, presented by Randy Fisher, Assistant General Manager over Workforce Development, California Prison Industry Authority

Commissioners, associate chief deputy commissioners, and members of the Board’s executive team attended the 2019 Association of Paroling Authorities’ Annual Training Conference. Presentations and workshops were provided on the following topics:

  • Ethics, presented by Marie Ragghianti, Parole Board Administrator
  • Essential Principles of Implementation Leadership, presented by Brandon Mathews, D.M., Colorado State Board of Parole
  • Interstate Compact, presented by Ashley Lippert, Executive Director, Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision
  • High Stakes and Missed Opportunities, presented by Sandy Jones, Executive Director, Idaho Parole Commission & Julie Micek, Director of Parole Supervision, Nebraska Board of Parole & Sheryl M. Ranatza, Chairman, Louisiana Board of Pardons and Parole & Connie Utada, Associate Manager & Tracy Velazquez, Manager, Public Safety Performance Project, Pew Charitable Trusts
  • Victims Handbook, presented by Dr. Najah Burton, Supervisory Victims Coordinator, United States Parole Commission, Department of Justice
  • The Value of Structured Decision-Making in Parole, presented by Richard Stoker, Director, National Parole Resource Center
  • Understanding Criminal Desistance Theory and Offender Change, presented by Michael Hsu, Chair & Dr. Sid Thompson, former Chair, Oregon Board of Parole
  • Victims’ Rights – How to Accord Victims Their Rights and Stay Ahead of Constitutional and Statutory Changes, presented by Russell Butler, Executive Director, Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center & Roberta Roper, Victims’ Rights Advocate
  • Implementing a Gender Responsive Approach to Women in Parole Decision-Making: Conducting a Self-Assessment, presented by Becki Ney, Principal, Center for Effective Public Policy & Director, National Resource Center on Justice Involved Women, National Parole Resource Center
  • What the Members Said – Parole Board Decision Making in England and Wales, presented by Joanne Lackenby, Parole Board Member, England and Wales
  • Examining Risk Assessment and Clinical Judgement in Parole Release Decision-Making, presented by Dr. Erin Harbinson & Dr. Julia Laskorunsky, Scholars, Robina Institute of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice
  • Taking Parole to the Next Level: Applying What Works and Ensuring Transparency and Fairness in Montana, presented by Annette Carter, Chair, Montana Board of Probation and Pardons and Bree Derrick, Deputy Director, Idaho Department of Corrections
  • Beyond the Headlines, presented by Daryl Churney, Executive Director General, Parole Board of Canada
  • ICE Detainers and Deportation, presented by Joseph Suazo, Detention & Deportation Officer, National Fugitive Operation Program
  • 60,481 to 0: Pennsylvania Stands OnBase, presented by Leo Dunn, Chair, Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole
  • A Second Chance: Iowa’s Process of Review and Release of Juvenile Lifers, presented by Jeff Wright and Norman Granger, Vice Chair, New Jersey Board of Parole
  • Life After Life: Adjustment to LIFE in the Community After Being Released from Serving LIFE Sentences in Prison, presented by Olinda Moyd, Chief, Parole Division of Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
  • Do No Harm, presented by Bree Derrick, Deputy Director, Idaho Department of Corrections
  • A Force for Positive Change, presented by Damon West, Motivational Speaker

Lastly, the Board’s Transcript Analysis Program provides commissioners with individualized feedback regarding their parole hearing decisions. Eighteen consultations occurred between the Board’s legal division and commissioners under the Transcript Analysis Program in 2019.