Priority Area: Implement administrative sanctions for technical violations
Background: Act 423 limits the period of incarceration for people sanctioned for violations of the terms of their supervision. The act allows for a maximum of six periods of incarceration in either county jail or an ACC residential facility as an intermediate sanction prior to full revocation to prison. This includes a maximum of two sanctions of 90 or 180 days, depending on the seriousness of the violation. Sanctions for people who commit technical violations may be up to 90 days of incarceration. Sanctions for serious violations, including nonviolent, non-sex misdemeanors, may include incarceration for up to 180 days. Arkansas Community Correction (ACC) has the authority to impose these sanctions administratively. CSG Justice Center staff are monitoring the data to determine how these changes are impacting prison and community corrections beds.
Update: The Arkansas Department of Community Correction (ACC) continues to utilize 90 or 180 sanctions in their Supervision Sanction Program (SSP). People on parole account for 97% of SSP referrals despite SSP also being available for people on probation. This is due, in part, to a clause in Act 423 which makes the use of SSP optional for people who were on probation when the legislation became effective. ACC is engaging judges to provide education on the utility and effectiveness of the SSP for people on probation.
Priority Area: Establish Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs)
Background: Act 423 creates local crisis stabilization units (CSUs) that enable law enforcement officers to divert people with mental illnesses who commit low-level offenses away from county jails to receive mental health treatment in the community. It also requires crisis intervention training (CIT) for police officers and sheriffs’ deputies to safely and effectively deal with people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The creation of the CSUs began with a reinvestment of $6.4 million, distributed to four counties via an application process administered by the Governor’s office and the Division of Aging and Adult Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS). CSG Justice Center staff are assisting state leaders with monitoring county progress on implementing these four CSUs.
Update: In June, CSG Justice Center staff continued to support the Governor’s Office and Division of Aging and Adult Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS) with planning and implementation of four Crisis Stabilization Units (CSU). As of June 27, 2018, the Sebastian County CSU has served 222 individuals. The Pulaski County CSU will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 6th with the Governor in attendance. Washington County secured a site for their CSU and has planned for a tentative opening in October of 2018 with limited bed capacity. Craighead County continues construction plans to build a CSU on jail property and does not currently have a tentative timeline for completion.
Arkansas continued efforts throughout June to provide Crisis Intervention Training (CIT). As of June 27, 2018, approximately 290 law enforcement officers have completed the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and the state is currently working to deliver a train-the-trainer course for CIT to local law enforcement agencies, so agencies can sustain trainings internally.
Priority Area: Develop a parole release guidelines tool
Background: Though not required by Act 423, the Arkansas Parole Board and the Arkansas Board of Corrections—which oversees state corrections agencies—voted to approve the Task Force’s recommendation to establish parole guidelines for the Parole Board. CSG Justice Center staff is providing ongoing assistance and trainings on best practices for interviewing and decision-making and monitoring the implementation of parole guidelines.
Update: The Arkansas Parole Board continues to work in conjunction with the Arkansas Department of Corrections (ADC), Arkansas Department of Community Corrections (ACC), and the JFA Institute on the development of a needs assessment at admission to prison and parole guidelines called the Arkansas Risk, Readiness & Release Tool (ART). The ART tool is tentatively scheduled to be implemented in September 2018.
Please check the box next to the following questions if the answer is 'yes'.
Please enter the applicable Event Date if there is an Event associated with this TTA.
When entering an Event Date, the Time is also required.
If the TTA is targeted to a particular audience or location, please complete the questions below.
Milestones are an element, activity, work product, or key task associated with completing the TTA (e.g. kick-off meeting, collect data from stake holders, deliver initial data analysis).
Please complete the fields below, if applicable, to create a milestone for this TTA.
6/10 - Alva Review-Courier - Police response to Arkansas county’s crisis unit improves
6/12 - Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette - Washington County judge mulls crisis unit in judicial annex
June 21, 2018: Meeting with Department of Human Services Administrative Analyst to discuss Community-Based Crisis Intervention Planning
June 26, 2018: Program Management Administrator (Arkansas Department of Community Correction), Research and Statistics Supervisor (Arkansas Department of Correction), Information System Coordinator (Arkansas Department of Community Correction), Executive Administrator (Arkansas Parole Board) to discuss Parole Board Data
June 26, 2018: Meeting with Research and Planning Administrator (Arkansas Department of Corrections) and Software Support Analyst (Arkansas Department of Corrections) to discuss AR Data Trends
Please respond to the Performance Metrics below. The Performance Metrics questions are based on the TTA Type indicated in the General Information section of the TTA.
Please submit a signed letter of support from your agency’s executive or other senior staff member. The letter can be emailed to or uploaded with this request. The letter should be submitted on official letterhead and include the following information:
- General information regarding the request for TTA services, i.e., the who, what, where, when, and why.
- The organizational and/or community needs specific to the request for TTA services.
- The benefits or anticipated outcomes from the receipt of TTA services.
By submitting this application to BJA NTTAC, I understand that upon approval of this application for TTA, the requestor agrees to keep BJA NTTAC informed of any circumstances that may impact the delivery of the TTA, including changes in the date of the event, event cancellation, or difficulties communicating with the assigned TTA provider.
Please call [site:phone] if you need further assistance completing this application.