(a) The Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management shall develop and implement a comprehensive reentry strategy that provides a continuum of custody, care and control for offenders who are being supervised in the community, especially those offenders who have been discharged from the custody of the Department of Correction, and assists in maintaining the prison population at or under the authorized bed capacity. The reentry strategy shall support the rights of victims, protect the public and promote the successful transition of offenders from incarceration to the community by (1) maximizing any available period of community supervision for eligible and suitable offenders, (2) identifying and addressing barriers to the successful transition of offenders from incarceration to the community, (3) ensuring sufficient criminal justice resources to manage offender caseloads, (4) identifying community-based supervision, treatment, educational and other services and programs that are proven to be effective in reducing recidivism among the population served by such services and programs, and (5) establishing employment initiatives for offenders through public and private services and partnerships by reinvesting any savings achieved through a reduction in prison population.

(b) The success of the reentry strategy shall be measured by: (1) The rates of recidivism and community revictimization, (2) the number of inmates eligible for release on parole, transitional supervision, probation or any other release program, (3) the number of inmates who make the transition from incarceration to the community in compliance with a discharge plan, (4) prison bed capacity ratios, (5) the adequacy of the network of community-based treatment, vocational, educational, supervision and other services and programs, and (6) the reinvestment of any savings achieved through a reduction in prison population into reentry and community-based services and programs.

(c) Not later than February 15, 2008, and annually thereafter, the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, on the success of the reentry strategy based on the measures set forth in subsection (b) of this section to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to corrections, public safety and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies.

(P.A. 04-234, S. 2, 29; P.A. 06-193, S. 1; P.A. 07-217, S. 201.)

History: P.A. 04-234 effective June 8, 2004, except that substitution of “Board of Pardons and Paroles” for “Board of Parole” is effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 06-193 amended Subsec. (a) to transfer responsibility for development and implementation of reentry strategy from “Departments of Correction, Mental Health and Addiction Services and Social Services and the Labor Department, the Board of Pardons and Paroles and the judicial branch” to “Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management”, provide that the strategy is for “offenders who are being supervised in the community, especially those offenders who have been discharged from the custody of the Department of Correction” rather than “offenders who are discharged from the custody of the Department of Correction” and add Subdivs. (1) to (5), inclusive, re manner in which goals of reentry strategy shall be achieved and amended Subsec. (c) to transfer responsibility for submitting report from Department of Correction to Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management and change reporting date from not later than January 1, 2005, and annually thereafter, to not later than January 1, 2007, and annually thereafter, effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 07-217 amended Subsec. (c) to change the reporting date from not later than January 1, 2007, and annually thereafter, to not later than February 15, 2008, and annually thereafter, effective July 12, 2007.