On April 8, 2021, Governor Holcomb signed House Enrolled Act 1068, which became effective on July 1, 2021. Under this act, counties must establish the Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council (Local JRAC) in every county.
The Membership & Set-Up
Local JRACs are multidisciplinary groups tasked with reviewing local criminal justice system policies and implementing evidence-based practices in several key areas including probation services, problem-solving courts, behavioral health services, community corrections, and jail overcrowding. The goal of a Local JRAC is for local criminal justice stakeholders to collaborate and find solutions to improve public safety, system efficiency, and outcomes. Membership includes a public defender, the elected prosecuting attorney, the director of the local community mental health center, the county sheriff, the county community corrections program director and chief probation officer, the president of the county executives, the president of the county fiscal body, and a county circuit or superior judge exercising criminal jurisdiction. Counties may add other system stakeholders as Local JRAC members based on local resources and needs.
Local JRACs were, in part, established to create alignment between the State Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council and state and local justice reform initiatives