The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard HB 1068 authored by Rep. Frye regarding local justice reinvestment advisory councils. The bill establishes a local justice reinvestment advisory council (local advisory council) in each county in Indiana and provides that the purpose of a local advisory council is to review local criminal justice systems, policies, and procedures. The bill also provides that the justice reinvestment advisory council shall assist local advisory councils with promoting: (1) the use of evidence-based practices; and (2) certain best practices of community-based alternatives and recidivism reduction programs. The bill sets forth duties of local advisory councils and requires that the justice reinvestment advisory council conduct a review of community corrections code provisions in the Indiana Code.
The bill was amended by consent to provide that local justice reinvestment advisory councils include regional advisory councils.
Mary Kay Hudson, Executive Director of the Indiana Office of Court Services, the Indiana Public Defender Council, Department of Correction, Indiana Council of Community Mental Health Centers, Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, and the Indiana Fraternal Order of Police testified in support of the bill. The amended bill passed 11-0.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2021/bills/house/1068