Project Manager Management
Resume:
RICHARD T. SPARACO
Madison, CT 06443
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CONNECTICUT BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES Waterbury, CT
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT (ACTING) December 2011 – Present
• Provide statistical information for the agency including performance measures, program evaluations and best practices. Seek sources of external funding and monitor implementation of grants. Identify low risk candidates for expedited release. Coordinate policy with The Chair and Executive Director and oversee Boards initiatives in the areas of structured decision making and risk assessment. Project Manager for major technology initiatives and Legislative Liaison for the Board.
PAROLE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER December 2000 – December 2011
Revocation and Rescission Unit (January 2010 – December 2011)
• Approved state-wide parole violation warrants; Appointed counsel for indigent parolees; Issued subpoenas for witnesses; Supervised seven Parole Officers/Hearing Examiners and three support staff; Used validated risk assessments; and applied evidence based principles in recommendations for re-release of offenders for community supervision.
Project Manager – Case Notes Enhancement Project (June 2009 – present)
• Oversight of Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Grant for enhancing Board of Parole and Department of Correction automated case notes system. Responsible for overall project design, budget, contractor, agency presentations, I.T. staff, and standing business workgroup.
Legislative Liaison (February 2007 – present)
• Draft, submit, and track legislation and regulations. Draft Chair’s testimony for public hearing and Interact with the Governor’s staff, legislative commissions, and elected officials on proposed legislation. Agency representative various state committees: Criminal Justice Information System Governing Board; Office of Policy and Management Criminal Justice Policy and Advisory Committee; Prison Forecasting Workgroup, Prison and Jail Overcrowding Reentry Sub-Committee and State of Connecticut Sentencing Commission.
Intake and Assessment Unit (January 2009 – January 2010)
• Established unit responsible for statewide intake and assessment of all newly sentenced parole eligible offenders. Supervised six Institutional parole officers, clerical and records staff who were responsible for parole eligibility designations for violent and non-violent offender classifications; application of Board’s risk assessment instrument; identifying low-risk offenders for early release and drafting of Board and Department of Correction offender accountability plans. Created and published brochure for newly sentence inmates.
Regular Hearings Unit (December 2000 – January 2009)
• Established guidelines and procedures for all parole hearings; scheduled, assigned, and oversaw all monthly parole hearing activity; supervised ten Institutional Parole Officers as well clerical and records staff; determined work schedules; certified cases for Parole Release Panels of the Board; reviewed, evaluated, audited, and drafted agency policy and procedures; acted as liaison with Attorney General’s Office ; prepared reports, reviewed correspondence; and represented the Chairperson and the Board in legal matters.
Acting Executive Director (January 2006 – September 2006)
• Oversight of all agency staff. Implemented performance review standards; budget preparation; policy and program activities; and operational plan until new director was appointed.
PAROLE OFFICER (Hearings Division) April 1999 – December 2000
Special Projects
• Drafted a policy and procedure manual and trained Board Members and parole staff. Project leader for second version of the Board of Parole Risk Assessment Instrument. Additional duties included policy drafting for Extended Supervision Program and Special Parole; Automation of Hearings Division Case Files Project, Restructuring of the Hearings Division, Monthly tracking of Institutional Parole Officer caseloads, and Verifying parole eligibility reports.
PAROLE OFFICER (Field Services Division) October 1998 – April 1999
Special Management Unit/Special Operations Division
• Assigned to the Zero Tolerance Drug Program Unit. Duties included intensive supervision of parolees at home, work and in community programs; case management and counseling; investigating and approving residence plans; and conducting needs assessments. Also responsible for investigating parolee violations; applying for warrants; remanding parole violators; preparing violation, misconduct and incident reports; maintaining case notes for parolees and working directly with other criminal justice agencies.
PAROLE OFFICER (Hearings Division) April 1992 – October 1998
Administrative Hearings (December 1997 – October 1998)
• Conducted Administrative Reviews for parole applicants and made recommendations for release to the Board that included conditions of parole release or reasons for parole denial.
Institutional Parole Officer (April 1992 - December 1997)
• Assigned to several correctional constitutions and performing case management and counseling; investigating criminal histories; summarizing offenses, social history and mental health issues; organizing parole related materials in preparation for hearings. Conducted interviews with offender's families, assisted parole panels, and recorded decisions. Other duties included statistical collection and analyses of data; Development of a Parole Package Manual and Grant Writing.
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN West Haven, CT
Adjunct Professor – Henry Lee College of Criminal Justice August 2009 – present
Instructor for Correctional Treatment Programs, a second year course that provides an overview of treatment programs within the institutional and community correctional environment.
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Boston, MA
Research Assistant / Statistical Analyst September 1991 - December 1991
Post Graduate experience that included analyzing data sets and conducting statistical analyses for the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a report on bias motivated crimes. Additional projects included analysis of data for the Internal Affairs Division of the Boston Police Department.
Graduate Teaching Assistant September 1990 - September 1991
Teaching Assistant for Criminal Law and Criminal Due Process classes. Met with students regularly, researched material for class presentations, and corrected case briefs. Periodically prepared and presented class lecture.
MASSACHUSETTS PAROLE BOARD Boston, MA
Research Analyst January 1990 - June 1990
Worked with Research Division on Revalidation Project for Parole Board’s Risk Assessment Instrument. Primary function was to retrieve statistical data on offenders and code information for statistical analysis.
MINTZ, LEVIN, COHN, FERRIS, GLOVSKY and POPEO, P.C. Boston, MA
Data Base Analyst January 1989 - April 1989
Scanned, researched, and analyzed legal documents into a research database for litigation attorneys.
EDUCATION
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY Boston, MA
Master of Science (M.S.) Criminal Justice - September 1991 (Administration/Planning/Management)
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Criminal Justice - June 1990 (Emphasis: Pre-Law)(Magna Cum Laude)
Criminal Justice National Honor Society; Outstanding Senior Achievement Award;
PRESIDENT: College of Criminal Justice Student Advisory Council;
EDITOR: College of Criminal Justice Newsletter
COMPUTER EXPERIENCE: Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes 5.1, 7.1, 8.03, Internet, Basic Cobol and SPSS. Relational database design/implementation and IT Project Management and Administration.
MEMBERSHIPS: Connecticut Parole and Probation Association (President: 2006 to present)(Vice-president: 2004 to 2006); Association of Paroling Authorities International; American Probation and Parole Association. New England Council on Crime and Delinquency.
SPECIAL SKILLS: Expert Testimony, Defense Tactic and Management of Aggressive Behavior Certified, Firearms Certified (last requalification February 2011), Sex Offenders Assessment and Treatment, Addiction Services Assessment and Treatment (LSI-R, ASUS-R), Assessment and Treatment for Multi-axial Disorders (Substance Abuse and Mental Illness). National Institute of Justice Corrections Institute Participant (2001). AACJP, MASACA, APAI, APPA, NIC and BJS Conferences (lecturer and attendee).
AWARDS: Board of Parole Distinguished Service: November 1997, September 1998; Certificate of Commendation: September, 1998. Board of Pardons and Paroles Outstanding Managerial Performance: 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010; Manager of the Year: 2008.
REFERENCES: Available Upon Request
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