HF 1718

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 04/04/2013 01:27pm

A bill for an act
relating to public safety; appropriating money to address alternatives to juvenile
detention throughout the state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. ALTERNATIVES TO JUVENILE DETENTION.

Subdivision 1.

Grant.

The commissioner of public safety may award a grant to
an organization designated as a nonprofit by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code or a collaboration of organizations including one or more nonprofit organizations to
conduct training, technical support, and peer learning opportunities for counties across the
state interested in addressing disparities in the juvenile justice system. The collaboration
must include at least one organization that has a demonstrated history in working with
Minnesota counties to address disparities in the juvenile justice system. The intent of the
grant is to achieve the following objectives:

(1) eliminate the inappropriate or unnecessary use of secure detention;

(2) minimize re-arrest and failure-to-appear rates pending adjudication;

(3) ensure appropriate conditions of confinement in secure facilities; and

(4) reduce racial and ethnic disparities.

Subd. 2.

Grant criteria.

(a) The grant recipient must:

(1) identify and support counties statewide in implementing the eight core strategies
identified by the Annie E. Casey Foundation that are proven to address disparities in
juvenile detention, including collaboration, use of accurate data, objective admissions
criteria and instruments, new or enhanced nonsecure alternatives to detention, case
processing reforms, special detention cases, reducing racial disparities, and improving
conditions of confinement;

(2) provide training, technical support, and peer learning opportunities to counties as
each county implements the eight core strategies under clause (1) throughout its county; and

(3) consistently collect, use, and report accurate data to diagnose system problems,
adapt strategies, and assess the impact of various training and capacity-building activities.

(b) The grant recipient must match at least $100,000 of the grant amount
dollar-for-dollar with money from private sector funds.

Subd. 3.

Program evaluation.

The grant recipient must evaluate the effectiveness
of its intervention and work with subcontracted organizations to collect data. The grant
recipient must submit an evaluation plan to the commissioner delineating progress in
meeting the objectives of the grant.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.

$400,000 in fiscal year 2014 and $400,000 in fiscal year 2015 are appropriated from
the general fund to the commissioner of public safety for the grant program under section 1.