In Support of Sentencing Practices that Promote Public Safety and Reduce Recidivism
Resolution 12: In Support of Sentencing Practices that Promote Public Safety and Reduce Recidivism
WHEREAS, the public desires and deserves criminal justice systems that promote public safety while making effective use of taxpayer dollars; and
WHEREAS, despite increasing use of incarceration and greater spending on corrections, recidivism rates have continued to escalate; and
WHEREAS, the judiciary, consistent with its obligation to provide just and effective punishments for criminal offenders, has a vital role to play in ensuring that criminal justice systems work effectively and efficiently to protect the public by reducing recidivism and holding offenders accountable; and
WHEREAS, the best research evidence has shown that use of validated offender risk and need assessment tools is critical in reducing recidivism;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators support state efforts to adopt sentencing and corrections policies and programs based on the best research evidence of practices shown to be effective in reducing recidivism; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Conferences urge each chief justice and state court administrator to work with members of the executive and legislative branches as appropriate to promote policies and practices that place properly identified offenders in corrections programs and facilities shown to be effective in reducing recidivism; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Conferences urge all members of the judiciary to educate themselves about the effectiveness of community-based corrections programs in their jurisdictions and to advocate and, when appropriate, make use of those programs shown to be effective in reducing recidivism.
Adopted as proposed by the Conference of Chief Justices Board of Directors and the Conference of State Court Administrators Policy and Liaison Committee on August 1, 2007.