Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Community-Based Corrections Task Force met March 10

Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Community-Based Corrections Task Force met March 10.

Here are the minutes provided by the task force:

AGENDA 

I. Welcome (12:30 – 12:50)

• Senator Halpin welcomed everyone and introduced himself as the chair of the task force. Members were informed that the meeting was being recorded.

• ICJIA representatives Mary Ratliff, Dawn English, Mary Ann Dyar, and Vincent Sarna introduced themselves and noted that they would be staffing the task force.

• Task force members were asked to introduce themselves with their names, organizations, and a brief statement about what they hope to see in the task force’s work, which included: improvements in criminal justice efforts to treat mental health needs, substance use disorders, and trauma; better engagement of communities with current programs and judicial systems; more assistance with challenges that people under community supervision face to reduce recidivism; more and better data to inform support systems including for individuals with violence-based offenses; more support for people experiencing homelessness; cost-effective solutions with measurable outcomes; treatment of substance abuse as a disease and not a crime; ways to make communities safer and help those in need.

II. Roll Call (12:50-12:55)

• Dawn English from ICJIA took roll call and announced quorum had been met. 

III. New Business (12:55-1:35)

• Mary Ratliff presented an Introduction to the Community-Based Corrections Task Force that went over legislative goals and duties, guiding principles, format, and expected outcomes from the task force. She encouraged members to review the draft by-laws for the task force, which will be voted on at the next meeting.

• Mary Ann Dyar provided an overview of community-based corrections including terminology to define the concept, illustration of the range of community-based sanctions (from least to most restrictive), and information on evidence-based principles for community-based corrections and problem-solving courts in particular. She also mentioned national standards that have been developed for problem solving courts and community supervision and suggested possible topics for future task force meetings.

• Senator Halpin asked Andy Boswell to share information about the creation of the task force, and Mr. Boswell provided a first-hand account of gaps in services for people under community supervision, especially those with substance use and/or mental health disorders.

• Members engaged in an open discussion of the following issues: potential for developing treatment-oriented residential corrections facilities to better meet the needs of those in the system and reduce recidivism; need to integrate substance use and mental health services (and funding sources) for the high numbers of those with co-occurring disorders; challenges with court operations, referral processes, and client engagement (lack of motivation to enter drug courts) due to implementation of the SAFE-T Act and the need to explore potential for other ambitious changes; ways to better address gaps in assisting people transitioning out of prison; need for agreement as a task force on definition of community-based corrections and different measures to do data-driven and research-based work; knowledge about structures and statutes in Illinois that may or may not align with other states’ or national models; more and better ways for the justice system to collaborate with service providers to meet client needs.

IV. Next Steps (1:50 – 1:55)

• Vincent Sarna presented the proposed meeting schedule for 2025 (all future meetings are from 10 am to 12 pm):

• Friday, April 25th, 2025

• Wednesday June 25th, 2025

• Wednesday, September 10th, 2025

• Wednesday, October 29th, 2025

• Wednesday, December 17th, 2025

V. Public Comment (1:55-2:00)

• Senator Halpin opened the floor for public comment; however, no one from the public was present.

VI. Adjourn (2:00)

• Senator Halpin called for a motion to adjourn. Representative Cassidy motioned and Matt Coates seconded. Upon a voice vote, the motion passed.

https://agency.icjia-api.cloud/uploads/Community_Based_Corrections_Task_Force_Agenda_March_10_2025_Minutes_32452324e0.pdf