About

The 20-member Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council consists of leadership from both the executive and judicial branches of state and local government. The Advisory Council is charged with conducting state-level reviews of local corrections programs, county jails and probation services, and the processes used by the Department of Correction and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction in awarding grants.

Governor Pence signed House Enrolled Act 1006 into law on May 5, 2015 (the effective date was July 1, 2015). Also known as Public Law 179-2015, this legislation established the nine-member Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council [IC 33-38-9.5]. The statute was amended in 2019, 2020, and 2021 to add additional members to the Advisory Council. The statute provides the following:

Membership

The advisory council consists of the following members:

1. The executive director of the Indiana public defender council or the executive director's designee.
2. The executive director of the Indiana prosecuting attorneys council or the executive director's designee.
3. The director of the division of mental health and addiction or the director's designee.
4. The president of the Indiana Sheriffs' Association or the president's designee.
5. The commissioner of the Indiana department of correction or the commissioner's designee.
6. The chief administrative officer of the office of judicial administration or the chief administrative officer's designee.
7. The executive director of the Indiana criminal justice institute or the executive director's designee.
8. The president of the Indiana Association of Community Corrections Act Counties or the president's designee.
9. The president of the Probation Officers Professional Association of Indiana or the president's designee.
10. The budget director or the budget director's designee.
11. The executive director of the Association of Indiana Counties or the executive director's designee.
12. The president of the Indiana Judges Association or the president's designee.
13. The chair of the Indiana Public Defender Commission or the chair's designee.
14. The chair of the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee or the chair's designee.
15. The ranking minority member of the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee or the ranking member's designee.
16. The chair of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee or the chair's designee.
17. The ranking minority member of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee or the ranking member's designee.
18. The governor or the governor's designee.
19. The president and chief executive officer of the Indiana Council of Community Mental Health Centers or the president and chief executive officer's designee.
20. The president and chief executive officer of Mental Health America of Indiana or the president and chief executive officer's designee.

Chair

The chief justice or the chief justice's designee shall serve as chairperson of the advisory council.

Duties

The duties of the advisory council include:

1. reviewing and evaluating state and local criminal justice systems and corrections programs, including pretrial services, behavioral health treatment and recovery services, community corrections, county jails, parole, and probation services;
2. reviewing the processes used by the department of correction and the division of mental health and addiction in awarding grants;
3. reviewing and evaluating jail overcrowding to identify a range of possible solutions;
4. coordinating with other criminal justice funding sources;
5. establishing committees to inform the work of the advisory council;
6. assisting local justice reinvestment advisory councils; and
7. performing other relevant duties as determined by the advisory council.

Purpose

The purpose of the justice reinvestment advisory council is to review policies, promote state and local collaboration, and provide assistance for use of evidence-based practices and best practices in community-based alternatives and recidivism reduction programs, alternatives and recidivism reduction programs, including:

1. probation services;
2. problem-solving courts;
3. mental health and addiction treatment and recovery services;
4. programs providing for pretrial diversion;
5. community corrections;
6. evidence-based recidivism reduction programs for currently incarcerated persons;
7. pretrial services
8. other rehabilitation alternatives; and
9. the incorporation of evidence-based decision making into decisions concerning jail overcrowding.

Meetings

The advisory council shall meet as necessary to:

1. work with the department of correction and the division of mental health and addiction to establish the grant criteria and grant reporting requirements described in subsection (k);
2. review grant applications;
3. make recommendations and provide feedback to the department of correction and the division of mental health and addiction concerning grants to be awarded;
4. review grants awarded by the department of correction and the division of mental health and addiction; and
5. suggest areas and programs in which the award of future grants might be beneficial.

Staff

The office of judicial administration shall staff the advisory council.

Electronic Meeting Policy

In compliance with I.C. 5-14-1.5-3.6, JRAC adopted an electronic meeting policy on August 6, 2021, to provide for participation in its meetings through use of electronic communication.