AAC F A M I L Y & F R I E N D S
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Time to focus on major issues such as jails, mental illness
izing political season for more than a year, and now it’s time to unite as Americans and support the victors and focus on serving the people. Te same goes on the state level. Te races are done. Te seats have been filled. It’s time to serve Arkansans. In Arkansas, we are not short on challenges in state and county
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government. We have a plethora of needs and areas of concern and only so much revenue and resources. A major issue for coun- ties and the state is jail overcrowding and mental illness. Meeting the demands of one of the fastest growing prison populations in the country deserves a broad and multifaceted ap- proach to rethinking our criminal justice system. Te Council of State Governments Justice Center has conducted Justice Re- investment research in the state and this fall presented its findings to state leader- ship and legislative commit- tees of interest. Justice re- investment is a data-driven approach to reduce correc- tions spending and reinvest savings in strategies that can decrease recidivism and increase public safety. Since last fall, the Justice Center conducted more than 100 meetings
M and calls with
various stakeholders and reviewed more than 3 million records from Arkansas agencies like the Department of Correction, the parole board, sentencing commission, Arkansas Crime Information Center and the Ad- ministrative Office of the Courts. Te center’s research unearthed some disturbing facts about Ar-
kansas’ prison system, and also identified equally disturbing trends. Arkansas’ prison population increased 22 percent from 2012
to 2014 and is among the fastest growing population in the na- tion. Te state’s prison population also increased 53 percent since 2000. We now spend more than $500 million on corrections a year, and that number is up 68 percent since 2004. Arkan- sas’ prison population is projected to increase by 19 percent by 2023. Te Justice Center reported that maintaining the status quo would cost the state more than $650 million in additional spending from 2018 through 2023. I don’t know about you, but these findings are eye opening and it is evident we must take proactive measures to stop the growth and mitigate spending while continuing to protect our communities. Te center provided plenty of policy options to the
COUNTY LINES, FALL 2016
ell 2016 has certainly flown by like waterfowl in the Mississippi Flyway. You know what they say, “Te older you get; the faster the years go.” Our country endured a divided and polar-
state. Te options varied in their intent of impact and ranged from altering sen- tencing guidelines to mental health and crisis intervention. County
jails oftentimes become
warehouses for state inmates when the population swells and far too many times become a place where the mental- ly ill and those suffering from substance abuse end up instead of in a treatment facility. Te County Judges Association of Arkansas, the Quorum Court As- sociation of Arkansas and the Arkan- sas Sheriffs Association (ASA) all have passed resolutions requesting state leaders to provide “priority funding” for crisis intervention training and infrastructure. Tey identified three main aspects in the resolutions:
Scott perkins Communications Director
eeting the demands of one of the fastest growing prison populations in the coun-
try deserves a broad and multifaceted approach to rethinking our criminal justice system.
Establishment and fund- ing for adequate in-jail be- havioral health services and crisis services for the men- tally ill (including support through use of telemedi- cine); establishment and funding of regional crisis stabilization units (CSU) for the mentally ill throughout the state of Arkansas; and es- tablishment and funding for crisis intervention training
(CIT) of law enforcement officers throughout the state of Arkan- sas. In his proposed budget, Gov. Asa Hutchinson did suggest $5 million of his rainy day funds to be used for crisis intervention units and training. Te Justice Center’s policy options concerning crisis interven- tion highlighted five main areas of emphasis:
• Create a fund to reimburse Arkansas’ local law enforce- ment agencies for expenses associated with training offi- cers/deputies in crisis intervention/specialized response for people with mental illness;
• Develop options for diverting people with mental illness from jails, including funding to support crisis stabilization units as well as necessary programming and treatment for successful reintegration into the community;
•
Assist the Association of Arkansas Counties and ASA in the development of screening and assessment tools for use by
See “JUSTICE” on Page 14 >>> 13
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