In a new private-public partnership, the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation are jointly providing $2 million to support innovative and effective reforms in treatment and services for youth involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.  Click here for the full story.

Are you committed to increasing access to substance abuse treatment services for people tied up in the criminal justice system? Are you excited by the opportunity to lead the field in implementing new and innovative treatment strategies? Then join us for this webinar and learn how your agency can apply to be a pilot site for a new Council of State Governments Justice Center project to improve treatment access for corrections populations.

People in jails and prisons have high rates of drug dependence and abuse, and few receive treatment while incarcerated or in the community. Eliminating the barriers to effective community-based substance abuse treatment is an important factor in addressing addiction and reducing criminal justice involvement.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has funded the Council of State Governments Justice Center, in partnership with NIATx at the Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies, to implement the Bringing NIATx to Corrections project to help jurisdictions design new and innovative ways to provide access to treatment for corrections populations.

The Bringing NIATx to Corrections project applies the nationally recognized NIATx process improvement model to corrections, community supervision, and treatment agencies. This is the first time this research-based model has been applied in this way. It is our hope that it will help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these agencies’ partnerships—and, as a result, increase the number of people who are referred to and participate in treatment.

Join us on Wednesday, January 18th from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm ET for a webinar to learn more about how your jurisdiction can apply to be a part of this exciting new project. The webinar will review the NIATx model and what jurisdictions can expect as a pilot site. We will also review application criteria. To access the application materials, please click here.

Speakers include:

• Alexa Eggleston, J.D., Program Director, Substance Abuse, Council of State Governments Justice Center
• Kim Johnson. Co-Deputy Director, NIATx National Program Office, Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies (CHESS) at the University of Wisconsin- Madison

Click here to register for the webinar.

NIC is Requesting Your Help! Gender Responsive Policy Survey

The National Institute of Corrections needs your assistance.  Please complete the survey in the link below to assist NIC in gathering information to support jurisdictions working with justice involved women (defined as women in a pre-trial status, in jail, prison or supervised in the community).  The goal of the survey is to identify and inform development of gender responsive policies for women involved with the criminal justice system. One of the most common requests for technical assistance at NIC relates to gender responsive policy development.  Findings from this survey will be used to inform the development of a policy bulletin on gender responsive policies.  If you are not working with women directly but know of a colleague who is, please share this message with them.

Contingent upon responses and with your permission, NIC may select sample polices from various jurisdictions to present to other stakeholders as exemplars. Please be assured that providing your contact information is optional and is for follow up purposes only.  It will not be shared with anyone outside of the research team.

If you have any questions about this project, please direct them to Erica King at ericahking@gmail.com. Thank you.

Take survey here

 

The pretrial release decision is meant to provide due process to those accused of crime, as well as secure defendants for trial and protect victims, witnesses, and the community from threat, danger, or interference. Unfortunately, pretrial practices throughout the country can sometimes result in the unnecessary and expensive detention of low-risk individuals before trial. Informed, reasonable, and constitutional pretrial release decision making among all relevant criminal justice stakeholders is imperative to a just and effective criminal justice system.
 
This month, the Bureau of Justice Assistance's National Training and Technical Assistance Center (BJA's NTTAC) newsletter will provide information on federal, state, and local initiatives, as well as training and technical assistance resources available through BJA's NTTAC, in support of fair and effective pretrial release policies and practices.

Click here for the December 2011 BJA NTTAC Newsletter.

© 2011 AzJournal.com, Holbrook, Ariz.

By Teri Walker–

By and large, Arizona’s privately run prisons are offering comparable services at comparable costs to prisons run by the state, according to a Department of Corrections (DOC) report issued last week.

In the first review of its kind, the DOC found that four of the state’s six private prisons evaluated offer a comparable quality of service to that provided by a state-run prison unit, and only one of the state’s private prisons offered less services than a state-run facility for roughly the same cost.

In spite of a law being on the books for more than a decade requiring the DOC to issue a biennial comparison of private vs. public prison operations, the 2011 report is the first of its kind issued by the department.

Click here to view the complete article.

WASHINGTON - The Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Laurie Robinson, announced today that she would be leaving her position at the end of February. Assistant Attorney General Robinson was confirmed by the Senate in November, 2009. She previously served for nearly seven years as assistant attorney general for OJP during the 1990s, making her the longest-serving head in the agency's 44-year history.

Click here for the full press release.

The National Forum on Recidivism was held in Washington D.C. on December 8, 2011 that included policymakers from all 50 states to focus on improving success rates for people released from prison. The event positioned states to set goals, or to expand on existing goals, for reducing recidivism through cost-effective strategies in their communities.  Click here for photos from the event and photos of representatives from states that participated in the event.

The December issue of the National Reentry Resource Center Newsletter features an article about the December 8 Forum on Recidivism, Reentry Center Highlights,Funding Opportunities and Events and Announcements.  Click here for the NRRC December Newsletter.

The National Center for Youth in Custody (NC4YC) is seeking a program director. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention created NC4YC in 2010 to improve and reform youth detention and correction facilities and adult facilities housing youthful offenders.

The program director will manage the activities of the center, including collaborations and communications with partner organizations, reviewing and responding to requests for technical assistance, representing NC4YC at conferences across the nation, maintaining the center’s Web site, and more.

Send letters of interest and resumes to: Darlene Conroy, Administrative Assistant, Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, 170 Forbes Road, Braintree, MA 02184, or emailed to Darlene.Conroy@cjca.net.

Resources:

To learn more about NC4YC, visit www.nc4yc.org.

Read the job announcement online at http://nc4yc.org/about-us/career-opportunities.html.

December 13, 2011 09:29 PM EST

 The American people are rightly frustrated by Washington’s partisan bickering.

With every passing day, there seem fewer issues where Republicans and Democrats can find common ground. But when it comes to high recidivism rates among released prisoners, elected officials from both parties agree: We can pursue smart policies that drastically reduce the likelihood of repeat offenses. This can make our communities safer and reduce costs for our criminal justice system, saving money for taxpayers.

Nearly 700,000 inmates are released from state and federal prison every year. Yet nearly 50 percent are reincarcerated within three years, according to the Justice Department. The impact on our society from this recidivism is clear, and not new: lost opportunity, more crime and communities in crisis.

But high rates of return to prison also affect the bottom lines of state governments during difficult financial times. From 1988 to 2008, state spending on corrections rose faster than spending on nearly any other budget item — more than quadrupling from $12 billion to $52 billion a year.

The Second Chance Act, which passed Congress in 2008 with significant bipartisan support, created a national framework for federal, state and local governments to take on prisoners’ re-entry into the larger community and ensure fiscally sound corrections policies. These tough economic times demand nothing less.

Click here for the full Statement from Senators Portman and Whitehouse

NIJ is conducting a nationwide search for candidates for a newly created position - Deputy Director of the National Institute of Justice - to help oversee and lead the activities, programs, and operations of NIJ's three science offices - The Office of Science and Technology; Office of Research and Evaluation; and Office of Investigative and Forensic Sciences. NIJ is seeking candidates who are first and foremost a scientist with expert authority in a social science, physical science, forensic science, or technology specialty field. Candidates must have a Ph.D. and extremely strong management skills and a vigorous commitment to diffusing research knowledge.

Open period for applying to this position ends January 16, 2012.

For more information and to apply, view the listing on USAJOBS.gov.

National Forum Examines Strategies for Improving, Reducing Cost of Prisoner Reentry

The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today sponsored a forum of policymakers from all 50 states to focus on improving success rates for people released from prison.   The event positioned states to set goals, or to expand on existing goals, for reducing recidivism through cost-effective strategies in their communities.

“In this time of economic challenges, we must continue to use every tool and strategy at our disposal to protect the American people while reducing costs to taxpayers,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Today’s national forum demonstrates the Justice Department’s firm commitment to working with its partners in the states and non-governmental organizations to improve public safety by supporting efforts to assist formerly incarcerated people as they return to their communities to become productive members of our society.”

In partnership with the Council of State Governments, the Association of State Correctional Administrators, the Public Welfare Foundation and the Pew Center on the States, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is working with all 50 states to identify and pursue cost-effective strategies on their investments in public safety.   Following today’s forum, participants will begin setting measurable goals for reducing recidivism; creating plans to achieve these goals by drawing on the latest research and experiences from the field; and identifying benchmarks state and federal policymakers can use to track progress.

Click here for the full Press Release.

On Monday, November 14, 2011, House and Senate conferees released the “minibus” appropriations report, which includes Fiscal Year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) spending. The conference report, a consolidated appropriations bill for several agencies including the Department of Justice, provides $63 million for the Second Chance Act.

The compromise appropriations bill resolves differences in Second Chance Act funding between the House, which allotted $70 million for the program, and the Senate, which provided no funding. The bill is expected to go to the full House and Senate for consideration this week.

"The Second Chance Act is having a tremendous impact nationally. It has changed the way state and local leaders think about prisoner reentry and it's demonstrating how we can reduce recidivism, which not too long ago many thought was impossible. Continued funding is a victory for every community seeking to increase public safety and to help families and neighborhoods receiving people released from prison and jail," commented Justin Jones, Director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

The bill provides $2.2 billion for state and criminal justice programs, including:

• $63 million for Second Chance Act programs;
• $9 million for Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act programs;
• $470 million for Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants;
• $6 million for comprehensive criminal justice reform and recidivism reduction efforts by states, also known as Justice Reinvestment;
• $35 million for drug courts;
• $10 million for residential substance abuse treatment programs;
• $20 million for Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act programs;
• $12.5 million for prison rape prevention and prosecution, and other programs.

In addition, the package contains a continuing resolution that funds other federal operations until December 16, 2011 – or until Congress completes the remaining nine FY 2012 appropriations bills.

Click here to see the legislative text approved by the conferees.  To read the conference report, click here.

National Governors' Association's Center for Best Practices has released their RFP for the Next Generation Justice Information Sharing Policy Academy.  NGA will be hosting a bidder's conference call for interested states Wednesday, November 9 at 11:00 AM EST.  The conference call details and RFP are in this attached document. 

If you have questions, please contact Anne-Elizabeth Johnson at:

Anne-Elizabeth Johnson, J.D.
Policy Analyst
Homeland Security and Public Safety
NGA Center for Best Practices
Phone: (202) 624-7854
Fax: (202) 624-7825

The October 2011 ASCA Corrections Directions Newsletter is dedicated to Reentry and Recidivism Reduction.  It also features a recap of the Summer Committee and Business Meetings in Kissimmee, FL and the Louie Wainwright Award winner, former Oklahoma Director Larry Fields.  Click here for the Corrections Directions Newsletter. 

WASHINGTON—States are reforming sentencing and corrections practices in an attempt to reduce costs as they continue to face a difficult fiscal climate. State Efforts in Sentencing and Corrections Reform, a new issue brief released today by the National Governors Association (NGA), outlines effective strategies states can use to reduce spending while maintaining or improving public safety.

State Efforts in Sentencing and Corrections Reform examines how states can significantly curtail corrections spending by reducing the number of nonviolent and low-risk individuals going to prison; moving offenders who can be safely managed outside prison sooner; and keeping ex-offenders out of prison through improved prisoner reentry practices. The brief also highlights evidence-based practices that states can use to create more effective and cost efficient corrections systems.

“The growth of prison populations within the last 25 years has resulted in spending increases that states can no longer ignore as they struggle to balance budgets,” said David Moore, director of the NGA Center for Best Practices. “This issue brief gives states a valuable analysis of strategies that have decreased costs and that will help them improve public safety.”

Using state examples to highlight best practices, State Efforts in Sentencing and Corrections Reform:

• Provides an overview of the cost drivers behind corrections expenditures;
• Identifies critical decision-points for states to consider as they take action to reduce costs;
• Examines challenges to enacting reforms; and
• Makes recommendations for states wanting to improve public safety with fewer resources.

This publication was supported by the Pew Center on the States’ Public Safety Performance Project.

Washington, DC - This week, the Senate began considering the FY 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which is now part of H.R. 2112, a bill that combines three appropriations bills into one.  H.R. 2112 includes $9 million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Program (MIOTCRA), but no funding for the Second Chance Act or Justice Reinvestment.  In contrast, the House’s FY 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill includes $9.9 million for MIOTCRA, $70 million for the Second Chance Act, and $6 million for Justice Reinvestment.

It is crucial that the field respond quickly with letters to the Hill to ensure that the Second Chance Act is funded in FY 2012.

Here’s how you can help:

• Please contact your members of Congress and send a letter of support by clicking here.  If you would like to personalize your letter with examples from your state or community, please email Jay Nelson at CSG an MS Word version of the sample letter.
• Sign the National Second Chance Act Sign-on Letter.  Join the hundreds of state, local, and community organizations that have already signed a letter to key Congressional leaders to protect the funding for this critical prisoner reentry program. To add your organization, email Jay Nelson at CSG.
• Visit the Justice Center’s Second Chance Act page to access talking points, fact sheets, a list of Second Chance Act grantees, and additional information.
• Share this information and ask your colleagues and friends to help protect funding for the Second Chance Act.

The Senate and House are working on FY 2012 funding now, so it is imperative that you contact your members of Congress as soon as possible.

Congressman Frank Wolf (R, VA, and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Appropriations for Justice, Science, and Commerce) and Chaka Fatah (D, PA and Ranking Member of the same subcommittee) have sent a letter to ASCA President A.T. Wall that reinforces the importance of the Forum and the value that your participation will bring to future policy and legislation.  Click here to download the letter from Congress.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics has released a report detailing new annual estimates of arrests in the United States covering the 30-year period from 1980 through 2009. Arrest in the United States, 1980-2009 is based on data collected by the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, and expands the FBI's set of published arrest estimates to include offense-specific arrest estimates for various demographic subgroups. The detailed breakdown of arrests and arrest trends describes the flow of individuals into the criminal justice system over a long time period. The estimates by type of offense reveal similarities and differences among demographic subgroups that may provide policymakers, researchers, the media and the public a greater understanding of the underlying causes for the observed arrest trends. Also available from BJS is an arrest data analysis tool that permits data users to analyze 30-year national arrest trends.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Thursday making it a misdemeanor for prison guards or visitors to smuggle cellphones to inmates, a bid to reduce inmates' ability to organize gang activity and other crimes from behind bars.

Senate Bill 26, by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, toughens penalties for inmates caught with cellphones and subjects the smugglers to as much as six months in jail and a fine of $5,000 per device. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed similar legislation last year, saying it was too soft on inmates and those who smuggle phones.

Brown, a Democrat, also issued an executive order instructing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to increase physical searches of people who enter prisons and to find a way to interrupt unauthorized cellphone calls.

Click here for the full article

The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has named its 2011 grantees under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP), which was authorized by the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 (MIOTCRA).

The 2011 grantees represent 40 jurisdictions from 35 states and territories. Of these, nine communities received planning grants with a maximum award of $50,000 for 12 months. 27 received planning and implementation grants, with a maximum award of $250,000 for 30 months. Six communities received expansion grants, with a maximum award of $200,000 for 24 months. All grants required a joint application from a mental health agency and the unit of government responsible for criminal and/or juvenile justice activities.

The Council of State Governments Justice Center's Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project will provide technical assistance to the new grantees.

This is the seventh round of grantees funded through MIOTCRA. Through funds appropriated in FY2010, BJA awarded 62 grants in 39 states. Through funds appropriated in FY2009, BJA awarded 43 grants in 30 states under JMHCP. Through funds appropriated in FY 2008, BJA awarded 23 grants in 18 states (and Guam) under the JMHCP. Read more about previous JMHCP grantees on the Consensus Project’s local programs database.

Attorney General Eric Holder has announced that 118 programs have been selected to receive funding in 2011 under the Second Chance Act (SCA). Grantees include both local and state governments and nonprofit organizations.

The selection process was highly competitive. According to Laurie O. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General in the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, DOJ received more than 1,000 applications for Second Chance funding this year.
These grant awards are posted at the Office of Justice Programs web site

• Fiscal Year 2011 Grant Awards Office of Justice Programs' program grants funded through the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2010, Public Law 111-117. Click here to view all the awards ordered by state, and here to view all the awards ordered by solicitation title.

To see the list of Second Chance Act grant recipients, click on one of the specific grant tracks listed below.

Mentoring Grants

Funding under this section helps nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes implement mentoring projects to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of adults and juveniles who have been incarcerated.

• Adult Mentoring
  
• Adult Mentoring, “Promoting Successful Reentry Through Responsible Fatherhood/Motherhood”
  
• Juvenile Mentoring
  

Demonstration Grants

Funding under this section helps state and local agencies implement projects and strategies to reduce recidivism and ensure the safe and successful reentry of adults and juveniles released from prisons, jails, or youth detention facilities back to the community.

• Adult Implementation
  
• Adult Planning
  
• Juvenile Implementation
  
• Juvenile Planning
  

Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Grants

Funding under this section helps state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes establish or enhance residential substance abuse treatment projects in correctional facilities that include family supportive services.

• State and Local
  
• Tribal
  

Adult Offenders with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders

This section’s funding helps state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes establish or enhance residential substance abuse treatment programs in correctional facilities that include aftercare and recovery supportive services.

• All grantees
  

Reentry Courts

This section’s funding helps state and local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes establish state, local, and tribal reentry courts monitor offenders and provide them with the treatment services necessary to establish a self-sustaining and law-abiding life.

• All grantees
  

Technology Careers

Funding under this section helps state and local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes to establish programs to train individuals in prisons, jails, or juvenile residential facilities for technology-based jobs and careers during the three-year period before their release.

• All grantees
  

In addition to these awards, other reentry research and technical assistance Second Chance Act awards were announced.

The IJIS Institute is currently looking for qualified applicants to fill two job openings.
Click here for the job description for a Project Manager for SAVIN Programs.
Click here for the job description for a Project Manager for Training & Technology Assistance Programs.

Attorney General Eric Holder convened the second meeting of the federal interagency Reentry Council on September 27, 2011 to address ways to ensure those returning from prison become productive, law-abiding citizens.

The federal Reentry Council meeting was attended by Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes. In addition to those agencies, the Federal Reentry Council, which meets semi-annually, also includes representatives from the Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Office of National Drug Control Policy and several other federal agencies. Its mission is to reduce recidivism and victimization; assist those returning from prison, jail or juvenile facilities to become productive citizens; and save taxpayer dollars by lowering the direct and collateral costs of incarceration.

Click here for the full press release about the Reentry Council meeting.

Last week the Senate Appropriations Committee eliminated funding for the Second Chance Act in the fiscal year (FY) 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill. In contrast, the House Appropriations Committee provided $70 million in their FY12 funding bill. (The Second Chance program was originally funded at $100 million in FY 2010, but that was reduced to $83 million in 2011). Although no funding for Second Chance was included in the bill, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy pledged to work to restore funding when the House and Senate Appropriations Committees attempt to resolve differences between the two spending bills.

The bill also provides $9 million for the Mentally Ill Offender Act (the legislation that authorizes the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program) for FY12. Overall it provides $2.3 billion for state and local law enforcement programs, including:

$9 million for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act
$0 million for the Second Chance Act
$395 million for Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants
$21 million for Byrne Competitive Grants
$35 million for Drug Courts
$10 million for Residential Substance Abuse Treatment

Status of Federal Appropriations

Committee approval is only the first step in the appropriations process. The appropriations bills must be passed by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, as well as the full House and Senate.

Click here for the summary of the legislation approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Click here for the bill report language.

Get Involved Today — Help Restore Second Chance Act Funding
Members of Congress need to hear from you immediately about the importance of Second Chance Act funding.

How You Can Help

• Please contact your members of Congress (link to sample letter) and ask them to support funding for the Second Chance Act in FY 2012.
• Sign the national sign-on letter in support of Second Chance Act funding.
• Share this information and ask your colleagues and friends to help protect funding for the Second Chance Act.

Information about the national automated Performance-Based Measures System (PBMS) was provided during a broadcast on September 14, 2011. PBMS is an accurate, consistent system to capture, record, report and share data between correctional agencies created by the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA).  The panels described the scope and development of PBMS regarding how specific needs give rise to PBMS solutions; described the key components of PBMS; examined the benefits of using the PBMS during and Evidenced Based Practice decision making process; and identified available resources that support implementation of PBMS.

Click here to download the webcast video.

During the broadcast, participants were encouraged to submit questions to the panel but not all questions were addressed during the broadcast.  Click here to download the responses to those questions.  ASCA has created a forum to continue the dialog about PBMS.  If you are able to sign into the ASCA web pages, sign in and click the link to the forum to post your comments and questions.  If you are not able to sign in, send your comments or questions to pbms-support@asca.net.

September 14, 2011 PBMS Broadcast Forum. 
Click here to view forum responses in the Forum Posts Section.

NIJ has released a new InShort that examines research on the effectiveness of electronic monitoring in reducing recidivism in community supervision.

NIJ InShort: Electronic Monitoring Reduces Recidivism (pdf, 4 pages)
A summary of “A Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Electronic Monitoring” by William Bales, et al.

The study, which examined data gathered from supervisees in Florida between 2001 and 2007, found that electronic monitoring reduces offenders’ risk of failing to meet the terms of their probation and monitoring by 31 percent.

Read the full research report.

The August 2011 National Reentry Resource Center newsletter includes information about the September 8 webinar, Recidivism Reduction, Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders: What Does Evidence and Practice Tell Us?, information about a New York Foundation funding opportunity for Prisoner Reentry; and an article on "An Integrated, Evidence-Based Approach to Recidivism Reduction in Kennebec County, Maine."  Click here for the August 2011 National Reentry Center newsletter.

The Delaware Department of Corrections Medical Director, Dr. Spencer Epps, made a presentation Hepatitis C Treatment in Corrections: New Medicine, New Challenges at the August 6, 2011 Research and Best Practices Committee meeting about the proposed changes in the Hepatitis C treatment protocol that can have a significant impact on correctional agencies' inmate medical costs.  The new protocol is recommended as more successful treatment for those who do not respond to the current Hepatitis C treatment but at a significantly higher cost.  Click here to view Dr. Epp's presentation.

Dr. Epps contact information is:

Spencer Epps, MD, MBA
Medical Director
Bureau of Correctional Healthcare Services
Department of Correction, State of Delaware
Telephone #: (302) 857-5395
Fax #: (302) 857-5496
Email: spencer.epps@state.de.us

BJA is pleased to announce that the Kentucky and Ohio Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) have officially launched the electronic Prescription Monitoring Information Exchange (PMIX). The goal of PMIX—made possible through funding from BJA's Harold Rogers Prescription Monitoring Program—is to help states implement a cost effective technology solution to facilitate interstate data sharing between PDMPs.

The Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) system and the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS) have been the leaders in testing and now implementing PMIX in collaboration with BJA, the IJIS Institute, the Alliance of States with Prescription Monitoring Programs, and other state PDMPs. PMIX, designed and implemented with the input and participation of state PDMP administrators, is an inclusive solution that enables national interoperability while remaining entirely under the control of the state PDMPs.

PMIX has delivered the tools and standards to build the capacity for states to easily and efficiently share data across state boundaries. The specific technology used significantly reduces the cost and effort that would be required to implement a communications link with every single exchange partner state. This single link allows a state PDMP to process a request for information from one of its authorized users to additional states via a single query that is seamless to the user. Throughout the transaction, the PMIX "hub" retains no prescription or confidential data whatsoever, thus protecting each state's ability to control access to its own data, as well as the privacy and confidentiality rights of data that resides within the PDMP systems.

State adoption of PMIX and thereby the ability to request data from another state, especially a border state, will help stop those who have taken advantage of the lack of information sharing across jurisdictional boundaries, and result in an enhanced and more effective tool for health care providers and law enforcement to prevent and detect prescription drug abuse through PDMPs. BJA is committed to fully implementing PMIX and ensuring state PDMPs receive funding, training, and technical assistance to expand interstate data sharing.

To learn more about PMIX and PDMPs and to request technical assistance, visit www.bja.gov/grant/prescripdrugs.html.

On July 29, 2011, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and Attorney General Eric Holder signed a memorandum of agreement to combat alcohol and substance abuse among American Indian/Alaska Native tribes by establishing a office within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The new Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse, created as a result of the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, will coordinate the efforts of American Indian and Alaskan Native communities and federal agencies to address alcohol and substance abuse.

As part of its substance abuse efforts, the Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse will emphasize programs geared toward reaching youth and offering alternatives to incarceration.

Facebook is partnering with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation after an inmate convicted of child molesting viewed the Facebook page of his victim from prison. The victim, who is 17, was 10 when she was molested. The convict looked at Facebook and MySpace photos to see what she currently looks like. He then mailed drawings of her (including her current hairstyle) to her family. Facebook says it's going to help the state take inmates' illegal pages down. Although most prisoners do not have access to the Internet, many are accessing the social networking site through smuggled cell phones. California prison officials say they've received hundreds of complaints from victims who say they were contacted by prisoners through social media.  Click here to link to the full story.

The OJP Financial Guide is the primary reference to assist award recipients in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to safeguard grant funds and ensure funds are used for the purposes for which they were awarded.

OJP encourages you to:

• Review the 2011 OJP Financial guide.
  
• Download the complete OJP Financial Guide to keep as a ready reference (pdf, 128 page)

The Sentencing Project releases a new report, On the Chopping Block: State Prison Closings. The report finds that at least 13 states have closed or are considering closing correctional facilities this year, reversing a 40-year trend of prison expansion.

These closings will reduce prison capacity by over 13,900 beds.  Leading the nation are New York State, which is considering a reduction of 3,800 beds, and Texas, with plans for a decline of 2,139 beds. Other states that are closing prisons are Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin.  

The full report, On the Chopping Block: State Prison Closings, includes a comprehensive chart on state closings.

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center announced today the release of a guide for policymakers committed to reducing the likelihood that probationers will reoffend. A Ten-Step Guide to Transforming Probation Departments to Reduce Recidivism provides probation leaders with a roadmap to overhaul the operations of their agencies so they can increase public safety in their communities and improve rates of compliance among people they are supervising.  Click here to download the report.

The first section describes how officials can engage key stakeholders, evaluate agency policies, and develop a strategic plan for implementing reform; the second section provides recommendations for redesigning departmental policies and practices; and the final section includes steps for making the department transformation permanent. The report provides numerous examples of how these steps were used in one probation department in particular (Travis County, Texas). Since transforming its operations between 2005 and 2008, the Travis County probation department has seen felony probation revocations decline by 20 percent and the one-year re-arrest rate for probationers fall by 17 percent (compared with similar probationers before the departmental overhaul).

Geraldine Nagy, Director of Travis County’s adult probation department and one of the authors of the report, said, “Probation leaders across the country share the conviction that probation administrators play a key role in community safety. In Travis County, we’ve made preventing crime and reducing reoffending the focus of our mission statement. Everyone, at all levels of our agency, along with judicial leaders, sees recidivism reduction as our shared and topmost priority. The Ten-Step Guide captures the key lessons we learned in reforming our agency.”

While probation officials in every state are experiencing cuts to their budgets, the number of people they are supervising is increasing. According to a recent study by the Pew Center on the States, more than five million people are currently on probation or parole in the U.S., representing an increase of 59 percent over the past 20 years. Facing high expectations and intense public scrutiny, probation officials should revisit their agency’s goals, processes, and measures for success. The Ten-Step Guide is designed for these community corrections officials and policymakers responsible for funding and overseeing probation.

North Carolina State Representative David Guice (R-Transylvania County), who is a member of the board of the CSG Justice Center and worked as a probation officer for over 30 years, said, "As a member of my state’s General Assembly, I worked diligently with fellow lawmakers to author legislation to overhaul the probation system across North Carolina. I believe it's important to realize how state governments can position probation staff to go beyond 'trailing and nailing' probationers who don't comply with conditions of release, and actually work to change behaviors among this population so they commit fewer crimes. The Ten-Step Guide is a critical tool for any state lawmaker who wants to help accomplish these same goals in their state."

Work on the guide was supported by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, Pew Center on the States Public Safety Performance Project, Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Community Justice Assistance Division, and the Travis County (TX) Community Supervision and Corrections Department.

The National Institute of Justice has updated and expanded the Reentry Into Society web pages on NIJ.gov.  Included are:

• Reentry Into Society home page;
• Evaluation of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative;
• Evaluation of Second Chance Act Demonstration Projects;
  
• Research on Reentry and Employment
  

 Click here to view NIJ Topics A-Z.

On July 21, 2011 the Senate Judiciary Committee approved S. 1231, the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2011, authored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rob Portman (R-OH). The bill provides resources to state and local governments, as well as community-based organizations, to improve the success rates for people released from prison and jail. The committee reported out the bill on a 10 to 8 party line vote.

The bill extends the original grant program authorized by the Second Chance Act for an additional five years while also improving and consolidating certain provisions. S. 1231 provides planning and implementation support for key reentry grantees; creates an incentive for federal inmates to participate in recidivism reduction programming; and repeals several programs that have not been funded or implemented.

During mark-up, committee members accepted several amendments. These amendments support a study of duplicative programs to ensure that federal dollars are spent in a cost effective manner; promote enhanced accountability measures for grantees by requiring periodic audits; require that nonprofit grantees do not hide money in offshore accounts; and promote transparency around compensation for nonprofit executives.

"There are currently more than two million people in jail or prison in the United States, and more than 13 million people spend some time in jail or prison each year. The Second Chance Act recognizes that most of these people will at some point return to our communities," said Senator Leahy. "I believe strongly in securing tough and appropriate prison sentences for people who break our laws. But it is also important that we do everything we can to ensure that when these people get out of prison, they reenter our communities as productive members of society."

Committee approval is only the first step in the legislative process. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

On Wednesday, July 13, 2011, the House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations bill, which provides $70 million for Second Chance Act Programs. The bill, which contains $50.2 billion in total budget authority, provides $1.04 billion for state and local law enforcement programs, including:

• $9.96 million for Mentally Ill Offender Act (JMCHP)
• $357 million for Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants 

• $6 million for Byrne Competitive Grants
• $40 million for Drug Courts
• $12 million for Prison Rape Prevention and Prosecution 

• $15 million for Residential Substance Abuse Treatment


Committee approval is only the first step in the appropriations process. The appropriations bills must be passed by both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, as well as the full House and Senate.

Click here for the text of the legislation approved by the Appropriations Committee.
Click here for the accompanying bill report.

Ken Fibbe / Times Record News

After a sentencing, ask someone how long they think that person will actually serve in prison, and most people will generally say "about half."

According to the most recent 2010 Texas Department of Criminal Justice report, that estimate isn't too far off.

Of those released from Texas state prisons during the 2010 fiscal year, the report stated the average sentenced length was 19.2 years for all inmates. But, on average, 58 percent of that sentence, or just over 11 years, was actually served.

Click here to view the complete article.

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS

COLUMBUS, Ohio

States not only are having an increasingly difficult time getting the injectable drugs to carry out death sentences, they're also paying as much as 10 times more for the chemicals as in years past.

Ohio only has 40 grams of pentobarbital, enough for seven executions scheduled through February, meaning a likely scramble to find enough for the four scheduled beyond that.

Click here to view the complete article.

Washington, D.C., July 13th —Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) met with state corrections heads from around the country in the nation’s capitol today to discuss prisoners returning to communities and recidivism reduction. The corrections leaders lauded Leahy and Portman for the introduction of Second Chance Reauthorization Act, S. 1231.

Click here for a video clip from the press conference.  Click here for another video clip from the press conference

“When Congress passed the Second Chance Act four years ago, we gave needed resources to the states to help improve reentry programs that have proven, positive results,” said Leahy. “I am grateful for the support of those officials on the front lines in the states, developing these important reentry programs, working to promote public safety while helping offenders return to their communities as productive members of society. I know that later this year, these officers and others from around the country will come together to discuss ways that states can help reduce recidivism to improve public safety. This should be a priority on the federal level as well.”

The Second Chance Act provides critical funding for reentry efforts to learn how to effectively integrate the science of risk reduction into reentry efforts and fill gaps in services, which are critical to success. A recent report by the Pew Center on the States showed that 43% of people coming out of prison nationally return within 3 years making recidivism a significant pressure on criminal justice systems.

“By improving prisoner reentry, we can prevent crime, strengthen communities and save taxpayers’ dollars,” said Portman. “The Second Chance Act is making an important contribution to public safety and reducing costs to taxpayers and it should continue. I hope the Committee will move this important legislation to the floor, and I look forward to working with Senator Leahy and others to pass it in the Senate.”

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director, Gary Mohr, has seen first hand the strains that overcrowded prisons place on the state budgets and communities. “Ohio, like many states, has seen prison spending grow by 21% in less than a decade. That’s faster than most other areas in the state budget and puts enormous pressure on taxpayers to foot the bill.” He added: “The Second Chance Act is one of our best hopes for addressing one significant element of prison growth—the cycle of offenders who recidivate and return to prison.”

A.T. Wall, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, pointed to the elements of the Second Chance Act that states are learning from: “This funding helps to focus our efforts on programs that are proven to work. It is not good enough to have a gut feeling that something will change behavior. Second Chance Act programs are based on evidence-based practice to reduce recidivism, which helps us to know where to make public safety investments that will be the most effective.”

Andrew Pallito, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Corrections, was thankful for the introduction of the Second Chance Reauthorization Act: “In Vermont and around the country, we are relying on key leaders here in D.C. to promote and fund programs that help state corrections address the overwhelming challenge of improving prisoner reentry and reducing recidivism. We are grateful for the leadership of Senators Leahy and Portman in advancing this important legislation.”

The Center for Innovative Public Policies, Inc., the American Jail Association and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas, Sam Houston State University are very proud to announce the opening of the National Jail Leadership and Succession Planning Resource Center.  Here is an overview.

• www.LeadingJails.com  – Introducing the National Jail Leadership and Succession Planning Resource Center.  This one-stop site for information about jail leadership provides a variety of tools for jail professionals – not only the directors/wardens or sheriffs, but also those seeking to further their own professional development.  The site include:
  • a description of the crisis in jail leadership;
  • all materials for a jail to develop a leadership mentoring program;
  • the core competencies and associated skills, knowledge and abilities for jail leaders; and
  • a resource library with more than 400 documents and a “leadership planner” that allows a jail to plug in their employee demographic data and be directed to various leadership development strategies based on this data.
     
• Core Competencies of Jail Leaders – these 22 competencies were derived from the research and from the hard work and deliberations of 20 jail professionals who served as an advisory panel.  This work can be seen at: http://cipp.org/jail/Final%2006%2006%202011%20BJA-Jails_mentoring-Core_competencies.pdf and at http://www.scuvelier.info/leadingjails/main.html#app=6efb&d76e-selectedIndex=2. 
  • The work also identifies the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with each of the core competencies.  The KSAs are a further refinement of the core competencies, making them more useful to jails, as well as serving as the foundation for the mentoring program.
  • Literature Review – the document review provides insight into many elements of leadership in the public and private sector, and helped guide the work.
    
• Jail Leadership Mentoring Program – available at www.leadingjails.com  Jail mentoring program materials developed by AJA include:
  • a Mentee Handbook;
  • a Mentor Handbook; and
  • an Administrative Manual. 

The goal was to provide a mentoring opportunity for graduates of the National Jail Leadership Command Academy (NJLCA) as well as produce a toolkit for jails who did not have graduates in the Command Academy.  This has been achieved, and the bases for the mentorship program are the core competencies.  AJA has taken the lead on this project and will continue to refine the program as they match new graduates of the NJLCA with previous graduates – to enhance and sharpen the leadership skills of both participants.

St. Paul – The suspension of government services will not significantly impact the ability of the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) to safely incarcerate and supervise offenders in the immediate future.

On Wednesday, Ramsey County District Judge Kathleen Gearin ruled that incarcerating offenders in state prisons and supervising offenders on parole are critical services that should not be halted during a government shutdown. Judge Gearin authorized the DOC to keep 85 percent of its workforce on the job during the government shutdown.   Click here for the full Minnesota DOC press release.

The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) today announced the launch of the National Resource Center for the Elimination of Prison Rape (the Center).  Established through a cooperative agreement between the Bureau of Justice Assistance and NCCD, the Center will serve as the national source for online and direct support, training, technical assistance, and research to assist adult and juvenile corrections, detention, and law enforcement professionals in their ongoing work to eliminate sexual assault in confinement.  Click here for the full press release.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Director Shaun Donovan sent a letter last week to executive directors of public housing authorities (PHAs) clarifying HUD’s position regarding people with criminal record’s eligibility for public housing. In the letter, which was co-signed by Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Sandra B. Henriquez, Secretary Donovan encourages PHA executive directors “to allow ex-offenders to rejoin their families in the Public Housing or Housing Choice Voucher programs, when appropriate.”

To view this important letter, click here.

“Housing is at the top of the list of what people need to succeed when they return from prison,” said Oklahoma Director of Corrections (and CSG Justice Center board member) Justin Jones. “We are very excited by this news in Oklahoma. It will contribute to public safety by helping people released from prison find a safe, affordable place to live.”

PHA executive directors generally have discretion whether or not to admit people with criminal records to public housing. The only circumstances under which a PHA is required by law to ban a person from federally assisted housing is if he or she was convicted of methamphetamine production on the premises or is subject to a lifetime registration as a sex offender.

The letter from Secretary Donovan and Assistant Secretary Henriquez is one of several efforts by the federal government that demonstrates its commitment to prisoner reentry issues. Under the leadership of Attorney General Eric Holder, various federal agencies have come together as the Federal Interagency Reentry Council. To learn more about the Reentry Council, click here.

"As President Obama recently made clear, this is an Administration that believes in the importance of second chances - that people who have paid their debt to society deserve the opportunity to become productive citizens and caring parents, to set the past aside and embrace the future,” Secretary Donovan and Assistant Secretary Heriquez wrote. “Part of that support means helping ex-offenders gain access to one of the most fundamental building blocks of a stable life - a place to live.”

A senior judge and law professor examine rising costs of the program. Without major reforms, they conclude, capital punishment will continue to exist mostly in theory while exacting an untenable cost.

By Carol J. Williams, Los Angeles Times

Taxpayers have spent more than $4 billion on capital punishment in California since it was reinstated in 1978, or about $308 million for each of the 13 executions carried out since then, according to a comprehensive analysis of the death penalty's costs.

The examination of state, federal and local expenditures for capital cases, conducted over three years by a senior federal judge and a law professor, estimated that the additional costs of capital trials, enhanced security on death row and legal representation for the condemned adds $184 million to the budget each year.

Click here to view the complete article.

WASHINGTON — US prisons are becoming a hotbed for indoctrinating inmates and turning them into radical Muslims, US lawmakers were told Wednesday in the second of a series of controversial hearings. "Despite appearances, prison walls are porous. Outside influences access those on the inside, and inmates reach from the inside out," Patrick Dunleavy, a retired New York prison inspector, told US lawmakers. "Individuals and groups that subscribe to radical Islamic ideology have made sustained efforts to target inmates for indoctrination." He was addressing a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee, chaired by Representative Peter King, whose first session in March on Muslim radicalization in the United States drew accusations of a religious witch hunt.

Click here to view the complete article.

This week Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the bipartisan Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2011. First passed in 2007, the Second Chance Act provides resources to states, local governments and nonprofit organization to improve outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons and jails.

The reauthorization bill:

• Continues targeted funding for reentry programs at the state and local level to reduce recidivism;
• Helps ensure that reentry projects use methods proven through testing and review to lead to meaningful reductions in recidivism rates;
• Provides funding for the implementation of best practices in prison and jail education;
• Enables nonprofit organizations to apply for grants for programs promoting family-based substance abuse treatment and technology career training; and
• Requires periodic audits of grantees to ensure that federal dollars are responsibly spent.

Click here to view the Second Chance Reauthorization Act.  Click here to view a summary of the bill.
Click here to view materials about the bill and a press release from Senator Leahy's Office.
Click here to view a press release from Senator Portman's Office.
Click here for the National Letter of Support for the bill.

The Wyoming Department of Corrections and the Recovery Network, a non-profit organization in California, have partnered to support offenders wh need assistance with reentry resources.

The partnership, developed in February of this year and the first one in the nation, provides offenders who are in the process of being released into the community with a prescription card to financially assist them with aquiring essential medications.

The card can help individuals save a significant amount on their medications.  The Recovery Health Network Medication Card is meant to provide offenders with discounted prescription drug benefits, laboratory tests and imaging services to support the continuity of care for inmates being released.

Click here for more information about the partnership program

A June 10, 2011 Time On-line article features Mississippi Commissioner Chris Epps talking about Mississippi's efforts to control prison population growth.  Click here to link to the article.

The Supreme Court narrowly endorsed reducing California's cramped prison population by more than 30,000 inmates to fix sometimes deadly problems in medical care, ruling that federal judges retain enormous power to oversee troubled state prisons.  Click here for the full story.

Lawmakers around the country are pushing for online registries, like those used for sex offenders, to track the whereabouts of people convicted of a wide variety of crimes, from arson and drunken driving to methamphetamine manufacturing and animal abuse.  Click here for the full article.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is pleased to announce the opening of the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) application period. SCAAP is a U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to provide federal payments to states and localities that incurred correctional officer salary costs for incarcerating undocumented criminal aliens with at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions for violations of state or local law, and incarcerated for at least 4 consecutive days during a reporting period

Click here to view the solicitation guidelines!

How to Apply for SCAAP Funds
The SCAAP application period will be open from May 16–June 27, 2011. Only applications submitted through the electronic Grants Management System will be eligible for consideration.

All states and local units of government that have authority over correctional facilities that incarcerated or detained undocumented criminal aliens for a minimum of 4 consecutive days are eligible to apply for SCAAP funds. States and local units of general government include the 50 state governments, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the more than 3,000 counties and cities with correctional facilities.

For additional questions regarding the SCAAP application process, visit www.bja.gov/grant/scaap.html or contact BJA at scaap@usdoj.gov.

On May 12, 2011, HHS issued   Combating the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis: Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis   [PDF, 672KB] which outlines actions, based on scientific evidence and extensive real-world experience that will serve as a roadmap for reaching the Healthy People objectives.

The Viral Hepatitis Action Plan presents robust and dynamic steps for improving the prevention of viral hepatitis and the care and treatment provided to infected persons and for moving the nation towards achieving Healthy People 2020 goals. Some of these life-saving actions already are well underway. Other actions, representing innovations in practice, technology, and therapy, will require new strategic directions and commitment.
Click here to learn more by visiting the HHS web site.

The Reentry Council has now launched its official website, which is housed within the larger website of the National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC). There you can access information created by the Reentry Council, learn about the Council’s goals and composition, and identify agency contacts.

The Reentry Council has also released a set of “Reentry MythBusters,” one pagers designed to clarify existing federal policies that affect formerly incarcerated individuals and their families. 

Click here for more details about the new assets

The April 2011 OJP Justice Resource Update feature article is Addressing Youth Violence: Moving Forward Together.  Other articles include Revised Proposal on Race to the Top Funding; NIJ Conference Highlights; and Peer Reviewers Wanted.  Click here to download the April OJP Justice Resource Update.

On Thursday, April 14, 2011 the House passed the continuing resolution (CR) for the rest of the fiscal year by a 260-167 vote. The Senate followed quickly with a 81-19 vote, avoiding a government shutdown.

All Department of Justice (DOJ) programs were cut by 17 percent. Several programs were exempt from this cut, including the Office of Violence Against Women, National Institute of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Regional Information Sharing Systems, Justice for All, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s programs.

Council of State Government Justice Center priority programs—the Second Chance Act program, the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) program, and the Justice Reinvestment program—fall under state and local law enforcement assistance programs, which were cut by $434 million from the FY10 levels.  Click here to see funding levels for other DOJ Programs.

Tens of thousands of felons convicted of nonviolent crimes would serve their time in county jails instead of state prisons under a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday evening.  Click here to view the complete article.

Desperate to save money, many states are pushing to reduce the number of people in prison while also cutting the services meant to keep them from committing new crimes, including probation monitoring, mental health care and drug counseling.  Click here for the full article.

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the passage of federal health reform legislation. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act improves access to health care for individuals leaving prison and jail—many of whom have significant health needs—in part by expanding eligibility for Medicaid to nearly all low-income populations. The Council of State Governments Justice Center (which coordinates the Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project) recently released a frequently asked questions document, “The Implications of Federal Health Legislation on Justice-Involved Populations.” This FAQ examines how the health reform legislation expands these adults’ eligibility for Medicaid and what services will now be available to them, the requirements and exemptions specified by the legislation, and how Medicaid enrollment will take place. To download this FAQ, click here.

This is the first release in a four-document series by the CSG Justice Center on the intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system. Soon-to-be-released publications will include an FAQ on behavioral health disorders and people returning from prison and jail; a guide on how to maximize opportunities for Medicaid enrollment for people returning from prison and jail; and a follow-up health reform report that looks at the way the legislation is implemented at the state and local levels

Click here for a story detailing South Carolina's efforts to pass a bill that would add 30 days to a prisoner's sentence if caught interacting on social networking sites via cell phone.

Written by The Associated Press

A federal court in Mississippi has permanently dismissed a 1971 lawsuit filed against the state over prison conditions. The case found that a range of corporal punishment practices used against prisoners at Parchman violated the Eighth Amendment, which bars cruel and unusual punishment.

Click here to view the complete article.

The Canadian Press

Texas is changing one of the drugs used to conduct executions in the nation's busiest death penalty state due to a shortage of a sedative it's used for nearly three decades, officials said. Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials said they plan to substitute pentobarbital for sodium thiopental in the three-drug cocktail used for lethal injections.

Click here to view the complete story.

The Associated Press via Bloomberg Businessweek

The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could determine whether inmates who have jobs in prison owe their income to the state to cover the costs of their incarceration. Inmate Kensley Hawkins, 60, has saved about $11,000 during his 21 years in prison by squirreling away the $75 a month he makes as a furniture assembler. Now, the Illinois Department of Corrections wants him to turn over that money to help pay for the cost of housing him.  Click here to view the complete story.

ATLANTA (AP) -- All Georgia executions are off after federal drug agents seized the state's supply of a sedative used in lethal injections that has been challenged by capital punishment critics and death-row inmates, including a man recently executed who called the British exporter of the drug a "fly-by-night supplier."  Clck here to view the complete article.

The Seattle Times via The Sacramento Bee

When the prison that eventually would become McNeil Island Corrections Complex opened in Washington more than 135 years ago, a tight-knit community of fishermen and loggers, brothel owners and bootleggers, and prison employees and their children developed around it. As in any small town, everybody knew their neighbors' business — even if their neighbors were serving 15 to life. Click here to view the complete article.

The Associated Press via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Washington state's prison population has become whiter and older in the past decade, and more of them are violent offenders, an Associated Press review of Department of Corrections records has found. And while running the prison system eats up 5 percent of the state budget, there appear to be few places that funding can be cut without resorting to releasing inmates early, as some states have done. Click here to view the entire article.

(AP) – Feb 2, 2011 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new agreement aims to stop federal prisoners from filing for and collecting millions of dollars in bogus tax refunds from their cells. Pressure from U.S. senators in New York, Ohio, Minnesota and Florida in January led to an agreement signed Wednesday between the Internal Revenue Service and the federal Bureau of Prisons to break down bureaucratic and regulatory barriers to end the practice. The memorandum of understanding struck between the two agencies overcomes legal obstacles that hindered their own efforts and paves the way for states to make similar agreements that apply to their prisons.

Click here to view the entire story.

Washington, D.C.—Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) was joined by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today to highlight the challenges facing the nation's corrections and criminal justice system and to unveil a new report from the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center offering proven strategies to increase public safety, reduce recidivism and save taxpayer dollars.  Click here to download the press release.  Click here to download the summit report
 

by Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA (2/3/11)

There are two fiscal gluttons gobbling taxpayer dollars, threatening to starve other public needs like education, and creating budget crises for at least 46 states: Medicaid and prisons.

And there is one common tapeworm that spawns this ravenous appetite for state funds: substance abuse and addiction.

To view the entire article go to:  http://chairmanscorner.casacolumbia.org/?p=213