October 10, 2007

Town Hall Meeting to be Held with Members of Parole Commission

Opportunity for Milwaukee Residents to Ask Questions about Workings of Wisconsin Parole Commission

Madison – On Wednesday, October 17th, State Senator Lena C. Taylor (D – Milwaukee) will sponsor a community town hall meeting with members of the Wisconsin Parole Commission.  The meeting will give Milwaukee residents an opportunity to hear from Commission Chair Alfonso Graham and his five fellow commissioners.

The purpose of the meeting is to familiarize community members with the Parole Commission. “Many of our residents are affected, directly or indirectly, by the Commission’s decisions,” said Taylor. “It is critical that our citizens are made aware of what this body does and exactly what factors influence its decisions.”

Portions of the meeting will focus on the specific tasks allotted to the Commission.  The remaining time will be devoted to a question and answer session, where the audience will have the chance to ask questions directly of the Commissioners.

The Parole Commission in Wisconsin has the final say in granting paroles and early releases from prison.  Inmates seeking to be paroled or released are interviewed by a commissioner, who makes a recommendation for parole based on his or her findings.  The Commission Chair must approve a recommendation for it to become official.

“I am grateful for the chance to bring the Parole Commission together with our community” Taylor continued. “Working together, I am confident that we can find solutions to any problems with our state’s parole process.”

Community Town Hall Meeting

Wednesday, October 17th, 3:00pm-6:00pm

Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center

1531 W Vliet St

Milwaukee , WI 53205

Members of the public are encouraged to attend and speak.