Statehouse – Governor Eric Holcomb recently signed State Rep. Randy Frye’s (R-Greensburg) legislation into law to help alleviate local jail overcrowding issues in Hoosier communities.
Rep. Frye stated that counties can now establish a local or regional justice reinvestment advisory council to review criminal justice systems, policies, and procedures. Local councils and the state Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council will then evaluate local jail overcrowding and recommend solutions.
Rep. Frye, chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety, said this legislation would have the state council work with local councils to promote evidence-based practices and implement recidivism-reduction programs such as probation services, and mental health and addiction treatment and recovery services.
This new law effective July 1 builds on legislation passed in 2020 allowing Indiana’s jails to report population data to a statewide database on who is in jail, why they are incarcerated, and how long they have been or will be behind bars.
