[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4982 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4982

 To establish a Probation and Parole Officer Safety Task Force within 
           the Department of Justice, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2004

Mr. Pascrell (for himself, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
 Stenholm, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Green of Texas, and Mr. Owens) introduced 
    the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a Probation and Parole Officer Safety Task Force within 
           the Department of Justice, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Probation and Parole Officer Safety 
Task Force Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established within the Department of Justice a task force 
to be known as the ``Probation and Parole Officer Safety Task Force'' 
(in this Act referred to as the ``Task Force'').

SEC. 3. DUTIES.

    (a) Study.--The Task Force shall study Federal and State policies 
and practices as they affect the personal safety of probation and 
parole officers during the execution of their duties and recommend 
guidelines for the safety training of probation and parole officers, 
the use of force by probation and parole officers in the execution of 
their duties, and equipment standards for probation and parole 
officers, including whether to arm such officers.
    (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date on which all 
members of the Task Force have been appointed pursuant to section 4, 
the Task Force shall submit to the Attorney General and to Congress a 
report containing the results of the study and the recommended 
guidelines under subsection (a), along with any other information and 
recommendations that the Task Force considers relevant to the personal 
safety of probation and parole officers.

SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) In General.--The membership of the Task Force shall be composed 
of 9 individuals appointed by the Attorney General, in consultation 
with the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
    (b) Qualifications.--The members of the Task Force shall have 
knowledge of Federal and State policies and practices relating to the 
personal safety of probation and parole officers and shall include--
            (1) individuals with experience as a probation officer or 
        other related official;
            (2) individuals with experience as a parole officer or 
        other related official; and
            (3) representation from both urban and rural areas.
    (c) Deadline for Appointment.--The members of the Task Force shall 
be appointed not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (d) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Task Force shall be 
appointed by the Attorney General not later than 30 days after the date 
on which all of the members of the Task Force have been appointed.
    (e) Compensation.--The members of the Task Force shall receive no 
compensation for their service on the Task Force.
    (f) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the task force shall receive 
travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (g) Administrative Support.--Upon the request of the Task Force, 
the head of any Federal agency shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, provide to the Task Force such advice and assistance, with 
or without reimbursement, as is appropriate to assist the Task Force in 
carrying out its duties.

SEC. 5. TERMINATION.

    The Task Force shall terminate on the date on which the Task Force 
submits its report under section 3(b).

SEC. 6. VIOLENCE AGAINST PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICER STATISTICS.

    Beginning after the date on which the Task Force terminates under 
section 5, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics of the 
Department of Justice shall carry out, for each calendar year, a 
comprehensive statistical review of the incidence and effects of 
violence perpetrated against Federal and State probation and parole 
officers and submit a report containing the results of the review to 
the Attorney General.
                                 <all>