(2) The purposes of the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government are:

(a) To prepare students for careers in political service, public administration and the administration of justice;

(b) To perform the duties required of the school under ORS 36.179, 183.502 and 390.240; and

(c) To assist the Criminal Justice Research and Policy Institute in carrying out the duties under subsection (3) of this section.

(3) There is created within the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government the Criminal Justice Research and Policy Institute. The institute may assist the Legislative Assembly and state and local governments in developing policies to reduce crime and delinquency by:

(a) Providing the Legislative Assembly with objective, nonpartisan analyses of existing or proposed state criminal justice policies, which analyses may not be inconsistent with state or federal law or the Oregon or United States Constitution;

(b) Evaluating programs, including but not limited to programs dealing with public safety professionalism, ethics in leadership and childhood development, funded directly or indirectly by the State of Oregon that are intended to reduce criminal and delinquent behavior or to improve professionalism in public safety careers;

(c) Managing reviews and evaluations relating to major long-term issues confronting the state involving criminal and juvenile justice, public safety professionalism, ethics in leadership and early childhood development programs;

(d) Initiating, sponsoring, conducting and publishing research on criminal and juvenile justice, public safety professionalism, ethics in leadership and early childhood development that is peer reviewed and directly useful to policymakers;

(e) Organizing conferences on current state issues that bring together policymakers, public agencies and leading academicians; and

(f) Seeking to strengthen the links among the Legislative Assembly, state and local governments, the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training and the academic community in the interest of more informed policymaking, the application of best practices and more relevant academic research.

(4) The Governor, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the chairperson of a legislative committee with responsibility over criminal or juvenile justice systems or childhood development programs may request the assistance of the Criminal Justice Research and Policy Institute in evaluating criminal or juvenile justice programs developed for, but not necessarily limited to, preventing delinquency, reducing crime and improving professionalism in public safety careers.

(5) Agencies, departments and officers of state and local governments may assist the Criminal Justice Research and Policy Institute in the performance of its functions and furnish information, data and advice as requested by the institute. [Formerly 352.196]