State looking for savings in criminal justice system

State looking for savings in criminal justice system

"— In a time when governments at every level are looking to cut costs, vital agencies are not spared, and that isn’t different in these state’s criminal justice system.

With legislative and judicial leaders, and stakeholders from every level at his side, Gov. Jay Nixon announced his the state government will begin to study ways to reduce costs in the criminal justice system, all while focusing on public safety.

“Because of the outstanding work by our Department of Corrections, the Missouri Reentry Process, which is used to successfully transition offenders into the community as productive citizens, is recognized as a national model, and our drug courts and specialty courts have made a significant difference,” Nixon said.

“We want to continue to build on this professional expertise and success as we protect public safety in Missouri. This initiative will help us do just that.”

The panel — made up of a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators and stakeholders — will be tasked with analyzing why people end up in prisons, auditing the sentencing and corrections policy, consulting local law enforcement agencies, and developing policy recommendations to be considered by the legislature.

“We must reform our public safety system in order to reduce taxpayer costs, while making sure we are effectively tough on crime to keep Missourians safe,” said Senate President Pro Tem Robert Mayer.

House Speaker Steven Tilley echoed that concern and hopes the study will find ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the system."