Budget Blog

NASBO Justice Reform Meeting - Key Takeaways

By Leah Wavrunek posted 10-27-2016 10:45 AM

  

On October 12-13, budget directors and analysts from 31 states gathered in Alexandria, VA at NASBO’s Justice Reform meeting, generously supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This meeting provided a unique opportunity for analysts who primarily focus on adult corrections and juvenile justice to hear from their peers, as well as national experts in their field. Sessions covered a range of topics, including an overview of national reform trends by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, using evidence to inform decision-making and the resources provided by the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative, projects underway with governors’ offices by the National Governors Association, and building an effective juvenile justice continuum by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Case studies were also presented by Georgia and California to help attendees operationalize the information presented throughout the day into the budget process and share lessons learned from implementing justice reforms.

 

Analysts shared their justice reform success stories as well as challenges currently facing their states. Throughout the meeting, several common themes were heard from the states in attendance:

  • The challenge of recruiting and retaining correctional staff, especially corrections officers, and resulting overtime costs from high vacancy rates;
  • Reforms enacted to provide alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders, most often through the use of specialty courts;
  • Increased health care costs, largely driven by expensive specialty drugs and treating the high prevalence of Hepatitis C in the justice system;
  • Challenges of treating substance abuse and mental illness in the correctional population;
  • Successes in closing juvenile facilities as an increasing number of juveniles receive community-based programming;
  • Streamlining programming across institutions and ensuring consistency to increase effectiveness;
  • Implementing “swift and certain” and other intermediate sanctions for offenders on community supervision instead of reincarceration;
  • Challenges with maintaining aging facilities and funding capital projects;
  • Prevalence of study committees and commissions examining aspects of states’ justice systems; and
  • Improving reentry services to support successful outcomes and reduce recidivism (including employment, treatment and supportive housing).

 

Corrections is one of the largest categories of general fund spending in states. In fiscal year 2015, states spent an estimated $51.0 billion from general funds and $57.2 billion in total funds. And unlike other large spending categories, correctional spending is comprised almost entirely of states’ general funds, with minimal federal funding. Additional information on state spending on corrections can be found in NASBO’s annual State Expenditure Report. NASBO monitors state actions on justice reform and will continue to engage members on this important state policy issue. Please contact NASBO staff if there are particular issues you would like us to monitor that would be most helpful to you and your state.