Recidivism

In October, CSG Justice Center staff worked with Alabama Department of Correction Commissioner to develop a slide deck for him to present on the success of justice reinvestment in Alabama to legislators, associations, and community groups to maintain support and momentum for justice reinvestment policies. The PowerPoint deck highlights the impacts and benefits that Alabama has achieved through Act 2015-185 to date and shows how Alabama is doing compared to other states on corrections spending, prison population, and implementing evidence-based practices.

Many State Administering Agencies (SAAs) collaborate with local Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils (CJCCs) to address the most pressing public safety challenges facing the state. In Ohio, Lucas-Toledo and Franklin Counties are established under the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) as metropolitan county criminal justice services agencies. Both CJCCs collaborate with the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services to conduct criminal justice system and youth services planning, apply for and allocate grant funds, and deliver assistance within their service areas.

In September, CSG Justice Center staff maintained contact with agency leaders and legislative staff to monitor budget conversations and any potential progress on justice reinvestment policies. The Department of Corrections, Governor’s office and House legislative staff all continued to share information with the CSG Justice Center regarding the negotiations underway as the House considered a revenue package for the state.

In September, CSG Justice Center staff focused on concluding implementation work in Nebraska after the end of the active technical assistance period, making progress toward completing a comprehensive close-out memo to BJA. Nebraska worked to spend-down the last of its BJA subaward funds before the contract ended on September 30. The University of Cincinnati conducted Effective Practices in Community Supervision (EPICS) train-the-trainer training for Division of Parole Services and the rest of the agencies worked to wrap up their IT upgrades in time for the contract end.

In September, North Dakota reached several milestones in the implementation of the community-based behavioral health program established by the state’s reinvestment funds. First, the Governor’s office re-branded and officially launched the program, naming it Free Through Recovery (FTR). This announcement was made during Recovery Reinvented, a daylong event hosted by the Governor and First Lady to promote innovative practices and initiatives to eliminate the shame and stigma of addiction in North Dakota.

In September, CSG Justice Center staff continued to engage agency leaders around implementation of Montana’s justice reinvestment policies, focusing assistance on the first convening of the Criminal Justice Oversight Council, preparing for an October 1st effective date related to presentence investigations, and finalizing the state’s implementation priorities for the justice reinvestment subaward application.

In September, CSG Justice Center staff continued to engage agency leaders during implementation of Georgia’s justice reinvestment policies, with a focus on developing a judicial curriculum for Georgia’s judiciary to educate them on the benefits of risk need responsivity (RNR) and the policy framework for early termination. Furthermore, CSG Justice Center staff continued to assess Georgia’s capacity-building needs for the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) subaward.

In September, CSG Justice Center staff continued to assist state and county leaders with planning to operate four crisis stabilization units (CSUs); adopt screening tools at the county level to collect behavioral health and risk information; develop parole decision-making guidelines; and prepare for the October 1 effective date of new violation response policies.

In September, CSG Justice Center staff met with Alabama Department of Correction (ADOC) Commissioner to discuss his interest in maintaining the support and momentum for justice reinvestment in Alabama by presenting on its success to legislators, associations, and community groups. CSG Justice Center staff worked on a PowerPoint deck highlighting the impacts and benefits that Alabama has achieved through Act 2015-185, comparing Alabama to other states on corrections spending, prison population, and implementing evidence-based practices.

CJI will work with the state of Louisiana to revise their case planning systems.