Mental Health Programs

CJI staff guided the Work Group through the policy development process as part of Phase I of JRI. The Work Group was divided into two focus areas for their policy discussions – the first group focusing on the “front-end” of the criminal justice system (practices including deflection, arrest, diversion, court processing, and sentencing), and the second focusing on the “back-end” of the criminal justice system (in-prison practices, release planning, community reentry support, housing, and healthcare).

The national 2024 Second Chance Act Conference: Celebrating 15 Years and Building Beyond Recidivism is 2.5-day conference held December 16-18, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

In December, CSG Justice Center staff continued to socialize the guidelines and engage key partners in the field, conduct calls for technical assistance (TA) requests, provide TA to select states, finalize and submit upcoming conference presentations for BJA review, present at the Second Chance Act (SCA) conference,continue to identify strategies for extending project work to reach a larger audience, brainstorm and develop topics and meeting strategy for virtual Peer Session #4, and further identify project next steps.

In November, CSG Justice Center staff continued to socialize the guidelines and engage key partners in the field, conduct calls for technical assistance (TA) requests, provide TA to select states, follow up on TA request forms under BJA review, develop presentations for upcoming conferences, brainstorm and develop topics and meeting strategy for virtual Peer Session #4, and further identify project next steps.

In September, CSG Justice Center staff continued to socialize the guidelines and engage key partners in the field, conduct calls for technical assistance (TA) requests, provide TA to select states, conduct a presentation at the International Community Justice Association (ICJA) conference in Louisville, KY, conduct a webinar for the Community Supervision Resource Center (CSRC), develop and submit a proposal for the 2025 American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) Winter Conference, and further identify project next steps.

Priority Area 1: Facilitate a cross-system data match between Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Corrections (DOC) to identify the overlapping population of people who have behavioral health challenges in state and move through the county and state criminal justice system and to identify high utilizers of these systems.

Priority Area 1: Facilitate a cross-system data match between Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Corrections (DOC) to identify the overlapping population of people who have behavioral health challenges in state and move through the county and state criminal justice system and to identify high utilizers of these systems.

Priority Area 1: Facilitate a cross-system data match between Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Corrections (DOC) to identify the overlapping population of people who have behavioral health challenges in state and move through the county and state criminal justice system and to identify high utilizers of these systems.

Priority Area 1: Data Analysis

Priority Area 1: Work with state agencies to receive and analyze data to identify drivers of Arkansas's high recidivism rates and understand how recidivism contributes to overall crime and incarceration rates.