ALEC Corrections and Reentry Working Group

Task Forces

• Civil Justice
• Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development
• Communications and Technology
  • a la Carte Cable Pricing
  • Cable Video Franchising
  • Cybersecurity
  • Municipal Broadband
• Education
• Energy, Environment, and Agriculture
• Health and Human Services
• International Relations
  • Activities
  • International Delegates
• Tax and Fiscal Policy
  • Activities

WHAT?

A Corrections and Reentry Working Group that will address key criminal justice issues in the states.

• Sample legislation, policy initiatives, and policy options will be devised such that the Working Group Chair and other members can carry them into the Public Safety and Elections Task Force for discussion and vote.

WHY?

• 700,000 offenders will be released this year.  That’s more than 3x the size of the Marine Corps.
• Every state is suffering financially and criminal justice reform offers an opportunity to relieve some of the financial burden of inflated incarceration while improving public safety by decreasing crime.
• The current approach to addressing crime is insufficient and has proven to be ineffective in reducing crime and responsibly managing a state corrections budget.

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

Systemic

• The purpose of our criminal justice system is to create safer communities and reduce the number of victims.
• Prisons are designed to protect the public, not just to punish the offender.
• A responsibility of corrections officials is to lower recidivism.
• Governors and corrections officials have the responsibility of conscientiously reducing corrections spending by utilizing evidenced-based practices, such as expanding vocational skills, educational opportunities, and religious programs.
• Legislatures have an economic and moral responsibility to pass legislation that expands community supervision, reinvest in and create treatment programs that work, and identify the individual needs of offenders and address those needs directly to help ensure successful reentry into the community.

Reentry

• Reentry planning should start at intake.
• Inmates should be encouraged to participate in faith-based programs.
• Communities should be involved in reentry efforts.
• Healthy mentorships are the keystone for successful reentry into society.

WHO?

• Public Sector Chair: Representative Jerry Madden (TX).
• Private Sector Chair: Pat Nolan (Prison Fellowship Ministries).

JOIN THE GROUP

To receive more information and/or become a member of the Corrections & Reentry Working Group please contact:

Courtney O’Brien

Task Force Director
Public Safety and Elections Task Force
202-466-3800 ext. 221
cobrien@alec.org