2015 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 4 - Management of State Agencies
Chapter 50 - Office of Policy and Management: General Provisions; Budget and Appropriations; State Planning
Section 4-68m - Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division. Duties. Collaboration with other agencies. Access to information and data. Reports.

(a) There is established a Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management. The division shall be under the direction of an undersecretary.

(b) The division shall develop a plan to promote a more effective and cohesive state criminal justice system and, to accomplish such plan, shall:

(1) Conduct an in-depth analysis of the criminal justice system;

(2) Determine the long-range needs of the criminal justice system and recommend policy priorities for the system;

(3) Identify critical problems in the criminal justice system and recommend strategies to solve those problems;

(4) Assess the cost-effectiveness of the use of state and local funds in the criminal justice system;

(5) Recommend means to improve the deterrent and rehabilitative capabilities of the criminal justice system;

(6) Advise and assist the General Assembly in developing plans, programs and proposed legislation for improving the effectiveness of the criminal justice system;

(7) Make computations of daily costs and compare interagency costs on services provided by agencies that are a part of the criminal justice system;

(8) Review the program inventories and cost-benefit analyses submitted pursuant to section 4-68s and consider incorporating such inventories and analyses in its budget recommendations to the General Assembly;

(9) Make population computations for use in planning for the long-range needs of the criminal justice system;

(10) Determine long-range information needs of the criminal justice system and acquire that information;

(11) Cooperate with the Office of the Victim Advocate by providing information and assistance to the office relating to the improvement of crime victims’ services;

(12) Serve as the liaison for the state to the United States Department of Justice on criminal justice issues of interest to the state and federal government relating to data, information systems and research;

(13) Measure the success of community-based services and programs in reducing recidivism;

(14) Develop and implement a comprehensive reentry strategy as provided in section 18-81w; and

(15) Engage in other activities consistent with the responsibilities of the division.

(c) In addition to the division’s other duties under this section, the division may perform any function described in subsection (b) of this section to promote an effective and cohesive juvenile justice system.

(d) In the performance of its duties under this section, the division shall collaborate with the Department of Correction, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and consult with the Chief Court Administrator, the executive director of the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, the Chief State’s Attorney and the Chief Public Defender.

(e) (1) At the request of the division, the Department of Correction, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the Chief Court Administrator, the executive director of the Court Support Services Division of the Judicial Branch, the Chief State’s Attorney and the Chief Public Defender shall provide the division with information and data needed by the division to perform its duties under subsection (b) of this section.

(2) The division shall have access to individualized records maintained by the Judicial Branch and the agencies specified in subdivision (1) of this subsection as needed for research purposes. The division, in collaboration with the Judicial Branch and the agencies specified in subdivision (1) of this subsection, shall develop protocols to protect the privacy of such individualized records consistent with state and federal law. The division shall use such individualized records for statistical analyses only and shall not use such records in any other manner that would disclose the identity of individuals to whom the records pertain.

(3) Any information or data provided to the division pursuant to this subsection that is confidential in accordance with state or federal law shall remain confidential while in the custody of the division and shall not be disclosed.

(f) Not later than January 15, 2007, the division shall submit the plan developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section to the Governor and, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to criminal justice, public safety and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies. Not later than February 15, 2009, and biennially thereafter, the division shall update such plan and submit such updated plan to the Governor and said legislative committees.

(P.A. 05-249, S. 1; P.A. 06-193, S. 2; P.A. 07-217, S. 197; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 488.)

History: P.A. 05-249 effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 06-193 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (13) requiring division to develop and implement a comprehensive reentry strategy as provided in Sec. 18-81w and redesignate existing Subdiv. (13) as Subdiv. (14) and added new Subsec. (f) requiring division to submit the plan developed pursuant to Subsec. (b) to the Governor and certain legislative committees not later than January 15, 2007, and to update such plan and submit it to the Governor and said legislative committees not later than January 15, 2009, and biennially thereafter, effective July 1, 2006; P.A. 07-217 amended Subsec. (f) to change the deadline for updating and submitting the updated plan to the Governor and legislative committees from “January 15, 2009, and biennially thereafter” to “February 15, 2009, and biennially thereafter”, effective July 12, 2007; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Department of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection” in Subsecs. (d) and (e), effective July 1, 2011; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (8) re review of inventories and analyses submitted under Sec. 4-68s and to redesignate existing Subdivs. (8) to (14) as Subdivs. (9) to (15), effective July 1, 2015.