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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCriminal Justice Coordinating Council Bylaws and Statement of Purpose August 2005 CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL BYLAWS / STATEMENT OF PURPOSE August, 2005 Article I: Name The name of this council is the Gallatin County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, referred to as the CJCC in the following Bylaws. Article II: Authority Gallatin County criminal justice officials agree on this day of August 3, 2005, to continue the mission of the CJCC, created in 2000 in response to Resolution 2000-30 of the Gallatin County Commission. Article III: Mission The principal mission of the CJCC is to study Gallatin County=s juvenile and criminal justice system; to identify deficiencies; to raise public awareness; and to formulate policy, plans and programs for change. The CJCC is committed to the coordinated planning of innovative corrections programs that reflect the county=s desire for safety and cost effectiveness, and to appropriate evaluation to assess success and shortcomings. The CJCC will serve as the central planning body for the criminal and juvenile justice system, and will make recommendations to public policy boards regarding the justice system issues. Article IV: Members There are 11 voting members of the CJCC. $ A District Court Judge of the 18th Judicial District, selected by the district judges each July $ A Justice of the Peace, selected by the justices each July $ A Municipal or City Judge, selected among themselves each July $ A Gallatin County Commissioner, selected by the Commissioners each July $ A Municipal Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety selected by the chiefs each July $ Gallatin County Attorney $ Gallatin County Sheriff $ Gallatin County Chief Youth Probation Officer $ Gallatin County Chief Adult Probation Officer $ Regional Deputy Public Defender $ Representative of the Gallatin Towns (Belgrade, Bozeman, Manhattan) rotating alphabetically each July. Article V: Meetings Sec. A: Regular Meetings. The CJCC shall meet the first Wednesday noon of each month at a place specified by the Chair, and with public notice. The meeting schedule may be changed by a majority vote of the members. Sec. B: Quorum. A quorum is a majority of the members present. Action may be taken by a majority of those present, or by a consensus of those present. Sec. C: Attendance. A member who misses two consecutive regular meetings, or three meetings out of the 12-month calendar year, without a reasonable excuse as determined by the CJCC, shall forfeit the membership. When a membership is forfeited, the position will be filled according to the process outlined in Article IV. If the person is a CJCC member by virtue of the office, the remedy concerning that office being represented on the CJCC is left to the discretion of the CJCC. Sec. D: Convening Special Meetings. The Chair of the CJCC may convene a special meeting by written notice served at least 24 hours in advance, but otherwise only in case of an emergency. It is the Chair’s prerogative to determine an emergency. Sec. E: Staff Support. The District Court Administrator, who will serve as Executive Secretary, will provide staff support. Article VI: Chair The Chair of the CJCC is the Judge of the 18th Judicial District. When the Chair cannot attend a meeting, a temporary chair will be agreed upon by present members. Article VII: Voting Each CJCC member has one vote. Article VIII: Task Forces and Subcommittees To expedite the business of the CJCC, temporary task forces of members and nonmembers may be established by consensus or by a majority to carry out a particular task. Subcommittees of members and nonmembers may be established by consensus or by a majority for longer term or permanent missions, and will report to CJCC meetings according to need. Article XI: Advisory Committee A larger group of professionals, service providers, stakeholders, and interested public, will be invited by the CJCC to serve on an Advisory Committee not exceeding 12 members. The purpose of the Advisory Committee is to provide a mechanism for outreach and the two-way exchange of information, to participate in making recommendations, and to serve on task forces and subcommittees. Article XII: Parliamentary Authority Robert=s Rules of Order, revised, governs all CJCC meetings. Article XIII: Amendment of Bylaws Proposed amendments to the Bylaws are to be included on the agenda of a regularly scheduled CJCC. Any action will become effective immediately. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE History The action to create a Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) was taken in the year 2000 following years of inconclusive discussion of the Detention Center problems. Since its formation, the CJCC has recommended, and the County has acted on a variety of measures including: a criminal justice system assessment; expedited case processing; a new jail information system; a County Public Defender Office; a Department of Court Services with pretrial, electronic monitoring, post adjudication and treatment programs; a mental health crisis stabilization home; a video conferencing system; a strengthened jail work program; and a Re-entry Program to assist the transition of parolees back to the community. The Need While the system has made fundamental changes in its operations, continuation of the CJCC is critical to provide an on-going, policy-driven, pro-active approach to:  understand, coordinate and set priorities for all components of the criminal justice system;  actuate the County citizens= desire for a safe, fair and cost effective corrections system which includes incarceration and a continuum of sanctions;  bring together criminal justice leadership, governing officials, and stakeholders to develop an understanding of trends, projections, costs, and options; and  develop a consensus for appropriate solutions. Charge of the CJCC The CJCC will serve as a vehicle for the coordination, continuity, and accountability of the county=s criminal justice system. The CJCC will continue to act upon the reports, and prioritize the programmatic recommendations of consultants David Bennett and Donna Lattin. The CJCC will continue to monitor the Detention Center; make recommendations regarding human rights concerns and working conditions until the facility is replaced; help manage the number of prisoners held out-of-county; oversee and refine processes and programs that affect the inmate population; and maintain a functional interface between the jail and the courts, programs, players, and rules that determine its use. The CJCC will continue its comprehensive review of criminal justice programs with attention to data, trends, growth rates, crime rates, staffing, best practices, and new innovations. The CJCC will develop recommendations about how Gallatin County can better manage its criminal justice population. The CJCC will provide oversight for, and require accountability of, new programs such as Court Services and Re-Entry. The CJCC will help transitions to new systems, including state assumption of the public defenders and creation of the third judgeship in the 18th Judicial District. The CJCC will seek stakeholder input and provide opportunity for public participation. The CJCC will advocate for long-term justice system planning and advance the Carter Goble 20-Year Plan.