Slide 1

Recent Developments in Sentencing and Corrections Reform

Presentation to the Nevada Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice

January 27, 2014

Nancy Fishman, Project Director, Vera Institute of Justice

Alison Shames, Consultant, Vera Institute of Justice

January 27, 2014

Slide 2 • January 27, 2014

Presentation Overview

• Recent reform efforts

• Summary of policy trends

• Keys to success

Slide 3 • January 27, 2014

Vera Institute of Justice

Vera is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit center for justice policy and practice.

“Making systems fairer and more effective through research and innovation.”

Criminal justice projects include: Justice Reinvestment Project Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education Project Segregation Reduction Project National PREA Resource Center

Slide 4 • January 27, 2014

Recent reform efforts

Slide 5 • January 27, 2014

Recent Reform Efforts

At least 17 states have enacted comprehensive criminal justice reform over the last four years.

Reform prompted by budget pressures, high prison growth, evidence-based research, data-based inquiry and solutions.

Slide 6 • January 27, 2014

Early Results

Kentucky 1/13-6/13: Prison population by 10.7%

North Carolina 2011-13” Prison population by 4,000 people

South Carolina Closure of 1.5 prisons and cost savings of $7.1 million (2011 and 2012).

Georgia Upfront reinvestment of $11.6 million to drug/mental health courts.

Louisiana Oversight Committee created to focus on implementation and measuring outcomes.

Ohio Upfront reinvestment of $14.5 million to strengthen felony probation supervision.

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Policy Trends

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Population and Cost Drivers

• Increasing incarceration rates

• Longer lengths of stay

• High rates of parole and probation revocations

• Inefficient community corrections practices

• Insufficient capacity for services

• Inefficient parole system

Slide 9 • January 27, 2014

Policy Trends

• Safely reduce prison populations

• Strengthen community supervision

• Expand community-based sanctions

• Support the reentry of offenders into community

• Make more-informed policy decisions

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Safely Reduce Prison Populations

• Sentencing reform Reclassifying offenses Modifying thresholds Amending mandatory minimums

• Earned and good time credits

• Expanded parole eligibility

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Strengthen Community Supervision

• Redefine agency goals and officers’ roles

• Behavioral management approach to supervision

• Implement risk and needs assessment instrument

• Focus supervision resources on high-risk offenders

• Provide services based on offenders’ needs

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Expand Community-Based Sanctions

• Problem-solving courts

• Intermediate and graduated responses

• Increase availability of community-based treatment

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Support Reentry into Community

• Mandatory post-release supervision

• Transitional leave programs

• Mitigate collateral consequences

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More-Informed Policy Decisions

• Performance-based funding and contracting

• Oversight committees

• Reporting on performance and system outcomes

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Keys to Success

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Keys to Success

• Collaboration with key stakeholders

• Bold leaders

• Culture change

• Realistic expectations

• Use of data (accountability, oversight, etc.)

• Investment in evidence-based practices