Furlough Panel

(1) Each facility Superintendent shall recommend to the Commissioner or his designee the appointment of certain institution employees as members of the institution furlough panel. The Commissioner or his designee will approve or deny an individual as a member of the furlough panel. (2) Each institution furlough panel shall consist of at least three, but not more than five, institution employees. A deputy superintendent shall act as the chairperson; other members must include a correction counselor of supervisory rank, a correction officer, or in those facilities not staffed with correction officers, a correction counselor having care and custody responsibilities. (3) The duties and responsibilities of the institution furlough panel shall be the following: (a) to convene on a regular and continuing basis to consider the furlough applications of inmates; (b) to review each furlough application and all other related materials, including results of the sponsor investigation, completed sponsor forms, results of interviews, the most recent institution classification board report for completeness and accuracy; and to interview the inmate if deemed necessary and appropriate; (c) to recommend approval or denial of an individual's application to act as a furlough sponsor; (d) to defer a recommendation of a furlough application when such an application or any supporting material is incomplete or inaccurate, or there is action pending which may affect the recommendation of the panel; (e) to record in writing on the furlough authorization sheet, the votes and signatures of individual board members and any recommendation, with reasons, for approval, denial, modification or deferral of a furlough.