2011 Connecticut Code
Title 18 Correctional Institutions and Department of Correction
Chapter 325 Department of Correction
Sec. 18-87k. Powers and duties of commission.

      Sec. 18-87k. Powers and duties of commission. (a) The Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission shall: (1) Develop and recommend policies for preventing prison and jail overcrowding; (2) examine the impact of statutory provisions and current administrative policies on prison and jail overcrowding and recommend legislation to the Governor and the General Assembly; (3) research and gather relevant statistical data and other information concerning the impact of efforts to prevent prison and jail overcrowding and make such information available to criminal justice agencies and members of the General Assembly; (4) advise the undersecretary of the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division on policies and procedures to promote more effective and cohesive state criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to develop and implement the offender reentry strategy as provided in section 18-81w; (5) monitor developments throughout the state's criminal justice system and, not later than February 15, 2009, and annually thereafter, report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the effectiveness of the state's reentry strategy, outcomes achieved under the reentry strategy and the level of integration and coordination of the information technology systems used by the criminal justice agencies and other system-wide issues identified by the commission; (6) not later than February 15, 2009, and annually thereafter, sponsor for all members of the criminal justice community a full-day review of the criminal justice system in the state including progress that has been made within the past year and challenges to be met, which review shall be facilitated by the undersecretary of the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division; (7) identify specific needs for reentry services in geographic areas throughout the state; (8) identify institution-based and community-based programs and services that effectively address offender needs and reduce recidivism including, but not limited to, education and training, employment preparation and job bank, transitional health care, family support, substance abuse, domestic violence and sexual offender programs and services; (9) develop a guide to best practices in the provision of reentry services; (10) develop and annually update a plan to ensure the availability of reentry services, which plan may include establishment of community reentry centers; and (11) assist the undersecretary of the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division in developing the recommendations included in the report and presentation made by the division pursuant to section 4-68p.

      (b) The commission shall establish a subcommittee on corrections behavioral health composed of the Commissioner of Correction, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services and a representative of The University of Connecticut Health Center having responsibility for the administration of the contract with the Department of Correction concerning the provision of health care services to inmates of the department. The subcommittee shall make recommendations to the commission concerning the provision of behavioral health services to inmates of the Department of Correction.

      (c) The commission shall establish a subcommittee on correctional staff health and safety composed of the Commissioner of Correction, the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or their designees, eight persons appointed one each by the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary and public safety, one representative from each of the three local chapters of labor organizations representing correction officers appointed by such local chapter and one representative from each of the labor organizations representing hazardous duty staff of the Department of Correction appointed by such labor organization. The subcommittee shall review the policies and procedures of the Department of Correction with respect to staff health and safety including, but not limited to, the manner in which: (1) Inmate assaults are investigated, classified and assigned points, (2) data on inmate assaults is collected and compiled, and (3) data on inmate assaults is reported to persons and agencies outside the department. The subcommittee shall submit any recommendations it may have to the commission concerning revisions to such policies and procedures.

      (P.A. 81-437, S. 2, 12; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 159; P.A. 04-234, S. 34; P.A. 05-249, S. 6; P.A. 06-193, S. 5; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1, S. 38; P.A. 09-223, S. 1.)

      History: June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 required the commission to take into account the report of the Alternatives to Incarceration Advisory Committee established under Sec. 18-87m in the development of the plan, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-234 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re establishment, membership and duties of a subcommittee on corrections behavioral health, effective June 8, 2004; P.A. 05-249 amended Subsec. (a) to delete former Subdiv. (3) re annual preparation and distribution of a comprehensive state criminal justice plan for preventing prison and jail overcrowding and redesignate existing Subdiv. (4) as new Subdiv. (3), effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 06-193 amended Subsec. (a) to replace "commission" with "Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission", add new Subdiv. (4) re advising undersecretary of the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division on policies and procedures to promote more effective and cohesive state criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to develop and implement the offender reentry strategy as provided in Sec. 18-81w and add new Subdiv. (5) re assisting said undersecretary in developing recommendations in the report and presentation made pursuant to Sec. 4-68p, effective July 1, 2006; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1 amended Subsec. (a) to add new Subdiv. (5) re monitoring developments throughout state's criminal justice system and annually reporting on reentry strategy, outcomes achieved under reentry strategy, level of integration and coordination of information technology systems and other system-wide issues, add new Subdiv. (6) re annually sponsoring a full-day review of the criminal justice system, add new Subdiv. (7) re identifying specific needs for reentry services in geographic areas, add new Subdiv. (8) re identifying institution-based and community-based programs and services that effectively address offender needs and reduce recidivism, add new Subdiv. (9) developing a guide to best practices in provision of reentry services, add new Subdiv. (10) re developing and annually updating a plan to ensure availability of reentry services and redesignate existing Subdiv. (5) as Subdiv. (11), effective January 25, 2008; P.A. 09-223 added Subsec. (c) re establishment, membership and duties of subcommittee on correctional staff health and safety.