The council of state governments (CSG) justice center seeks to facilitate the justice reinvestment initiative (JRI) process

This $7,500,000 Cooperative Agreement award, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (CFDA 16.827), will enable the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center to facilitate the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) process across multiple states. Through this project, CSG will educate policymakers about JRI, assist states in addressing their most pressing criminal justice issues, and support states in implementing data-driven reforms, programs, and practice changes to reduce recidivism, address behavioral health needs, and promote successful reentry. Specifically, CSG will provide Phase I technical assistance to increase states' familiarity with JRI, conduct state-specific data analysis and policy reviews, and develop consensus-based policy options. CSG will then provide in-depth Phase II technical assistance and implementation sub-awards to two states to effectively implement the proposed reforms. Throughout the project, CSG will collect data to monitor the effectiveness of the implemented policies and programs.

With their expert partners, CSG will educate policymakers about JRI and build interest among states; assist states to address their most pressing criminal justice (CJ) problems, including operating the JRI assessment center (JAC); and support states to implement reforms, programs, and changes to practice. Critically, JRI engages leaders from all branches of governmentand stakeholders from across and outside the justice systemto arrive at consensus-based solutions. Csgs proposed work will tailor each states specific needs, including solving violent crimes, increasing access to treatment for people with behavioral health (BH) needs, diverting people who do not pose a public safety risk, promoting recovery and successful reentry, driving down racial disparities, and reallocating resources to support these goals. The CSG justice center will increase familiarity with and assess readiness for JRI through presentations, targeted outreach, and two convenings of CJ and BH stakeholders; provide states with phase i technical assistance (TA), including state-specific analyses of CJ and BH data and trends and review of policies and sources of funding from medicaid and opioid settlements, stakeholder engagement, and the development of policy options that aim to reduce recidivism and crime and improve cross-agency collaboration; provide two states with phase II technical assistance and implementation sub-awards to effectively implement policies and programs; and collect data from phase II states to determine and monitor the effectiveness of the implemented policies, programs, and reinvestments. Additionally, CSG would operate the JAC to provide targeted TA to address short-term state needs. In each state, the CSG justice center would provide publications that summarize the JRI project; deliver comprehensive presentations that reflect data analysis, stakeholder engagement and evidence-based solutions; and develop comprehensive implementation plans based on TA for each state.