By CSG Justice Center Staff
North Dakota Presiding District Court Judge Frank Racek is calling for state leaders to work together to transform the current system for delivering community-based services to people in the criminal justice system to one that follows risk, needs, and responsivity principles. Judge Racek argues that the system for delivering rehabilitative treatment must:
- Focus on people’s individual criminogenic needs;
- Assess people promptly to help inform decisions and create action plans;
- Respond to program participants’ setbacks appropriately; and
- Evaluate programs regularly to ensure that they’re effective.
Judge Racek was a member of the Incarceration Issues Committee, which met throughout 2016 to study North Dakota’s criminal justice system. As a result, North Dakota enacted SB 2015 in April 2017, which allocated $7.5 million to expand the availability of and access to community-based behavioral health services for people in the criminal justice system.
Read more about Judge Racek’s views on rehabilitation here.
Source: JusticeCenter