NCJ Number
249488
Date Published
April 2015
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This paper presents an overview of the progress Kansas has made and what remains to be done under its "justice reinvestment" initiative, which is a data-driven approach designed to reduce corrections spending and reinvest savings in strategies proven to reduce recidivism and improve public safety.
Abstract
Faced with a projected 3-percent increase in the State prison population by FY 2021, Kansas policymakers from across the political spectrum passed House Bill 2170 in April 2013. This legislation was the result of an initiative in which State leaders sought funding and technical assistance from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The funding encompassed technical assistance to be provided to the State by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center. In order to guide this reform effort, a bipartisan, inter-branch Justice Reinvestment Working Group was created. It is composed of State legislators, corrections and court officials, and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system. The working group reviews data analyses conducted by the CSG Justice Center and discusses policy options intended to slow the growth of the prison population and reduce recidivism. Based on data analyses, the working group has developed a policy framework designed to strengthen community-based supervision, promote successful reentry of ex-inmates, and target scarce resources to programs proven effective in reducing recidivism. This paper summarizes Kansas legislative provisions in House Bill 2170 that are designed to implement this policy framework. 3 figures and 9 notes