COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ACT

• NCJ Number: 51621
• Journal: Crime and Delinquency Volume: 24 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1978) Pages: 458464
• Author(s): K F SCHOEN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE DEVELOPMENT, FUNDAMENTAL PRECEPTS, AND INITIAL IMPACT OF MINNESOTA'S COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ACT, WHICH WAS PASSED IN 1973, ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

THE ACT COMBINES FRAGMENTED POLICIES INTO AN OVERALL STRATEGY FOR COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS AND DEFINES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. ITS INTENT IS TO DECENTRALIZE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DELIVERING CORRECTIONAL SERVICES BY SHIFTING THE FOCUS FROM THE STATE TO THE COUNTY LEVEL. COUNTIES ELECTING TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN CORRECTIONAL SERVICES BECOME ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL SUBSIDY GRANTS FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT. THE SUBSIDIES ARE BASED ON A PARITY FORMULA THAT REFLECTS THE LOCAL CRIME PROBLEM AND THE LEVEL OF AFFLUENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. COUNTIES MUST SUBMIT COMPREHENSIVE PLANS FOR LOCAL CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE SUBSIDIES. PARTICIPATION IS VOLUNTARY. PARTICIPATING COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED TO PAY THE PER DIEM COST FOR ADULTS CONVICTED OF OFFENSES CARRYING STATUTORY SENTENCES OF 5 YEARS OR LESS WHO ARE CONFINED IN STATE INSTITUTIONS AND FOR ALL JUVENILES SENT TO STATE JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS. THE PER DIEM CHARGE DISCOURAGES COUNTIES FROM COMMITTING THEIR OFFENDERS TO STATE FACILITIES. SINCE PASSAGE OF THE ACT, 24 COUNTIES, REPRESENTING ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE STATE POPULATION, HAVE TAKEN PART. THE ACT IS BASED ON THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT INCARCERATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE NEEDED FOR SERIOUS OFFENDERS, THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE IN THE BEST POSITION TO DEFINE THEIR OWN CORRECTIONAL NEEDS AND PROGRAMS, AND THAT MOST OFFENDERS CAN REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT LOSS TO PUBLIC PROTECTION. THE ACT HAS RESULTED IN A REDUCTION OF ADULT AND JUVENILE COMMITMENTS TO STATE INSTITUTIONS FROM PARTICIPATING COUNTIES, INCREASED USE OF LOCAL CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES, AND IMPROVED OVERALL CORRECTIONAL PLANNING. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAS BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS ITS ATTENTION ON THE 'LAST RESORT' SERIOUS OFFENDER. (LKM)