Raimondo Signs Exec. Order Creating Juvenile & Criminal Justice Working Group

GoLocalProv News Team

Raimondo Signs Exec. Order Creating Juvenile & Criminal Justice Working Group

Raimondo signs exec. order creating juvenile & criminal justice working group
Governor Gina Raimondo signed an executive order creating a juvenile and criminal justice working group.

“Justice reinvestment was a critical first step in reforming our criminal justice system, but we still have a great deal of work ahead.  I’d like to see the state address barriers to reentry—particularly around employment—and evaluate ways we can better support justice-involved youth. I’m grateful to each of the members for agreeing to partake in such important work and I look forward to reading their recommendations later this year,” said Raimondo.

Click here for a list of members.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

The Group

The Working Group will be divided into two subcommittees to narrow its focus on juvenile justice and criminal justice, respectively.

Chief Judge Michael B. Forte will chair the juvenile justice subcommittee and Justice Maureen Keough will chair the adult criminal justice subcommittee, while Michael Grey, chair of the Governor’s Workforce Board, will serve as co-chair of both.

“I’m proud to serve as a co-chair of Governor Raimondo’s Juvenile & Criminal Justice Working Group, and I look forward to working with stakeholders as we identify barriers to reentry. This is critically important work, and I’m honored to be a part of it,” said Keough.

Raimondo charged the group with soliciting input broadly, including from victim’s advocates, formerly or currently incarcerated individuals, and youth that are justice-involved.

The Working Group will begin their work immediately and will issue a report to the Governor that will include: 

For the juvenile sub-committee: 

  • A thorough review of the juvenile justice system, focusing on factors that lead to entry including but not limited to: race, age, and location.
  • A plan based on the declining numbers at the Training School and best practices based on research surrounding juvenile corrections. This should also include factors for successful transition and reentry for youth.

 

For the adult sub-committee: 

  • A review of the reentry related issues that individuals face upon discharge from incarceration or completion of community supervision. 
  • This should include, but not be limited to topics surrounding reintegration into society such as: housing opportunities, employment, including licensing, educational opportunities, and parole considerations and other barriers that exist to reentry.

 

For both sub-committees: 

  • Any suggested policy, administrative, and/or legislative changes to improve our criminal justice system, from both the adult and the juvenile perspectives.  
  • Both groups should focus on the role behavioral health plays in justice involved populations and how trauma and mental illness impact them. The group should address how we can help individuals with mental illness and substance use disorder successfully re-enter society. 

19 to Watch in 2019 - FULL LIST

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.