67th Legislature HJ 31.1
1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 31
2 INTRODUCED BY F. FLEMING
3
4 A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
5 MONTANA REQUESTING AN INTERIM STUDY OF THE COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF
6 CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM DATA IN MONTANA.
7
8 WHEREAS, while many local, tribal, and county criminal justice system stakeholders collect data,
9 Montana currently does not have a central data repository or clearinghouse for that data; and
10 WHEREAS, the lack of centralized, electronically stored data related to the system can hinder
11 legislative and public oversight of the system and limit improvements to increase the effectiveness of criminal
12 justice processes and interventions; and
13 WHEREAS, the 2017 Legislature enacted several bills that made changes to various parts of the
14 criminal justice system, but tracking the effectiveness of those changes has been hindered by the lack of
15 accurate, complete data; and
16 WHEREAS, improvements in data collection requirements and scope might allow the Legislature and
17 the public to track criminal justice system outcomes from arrest to release from prison or supervision; and
18 WHEREAS, local criminal justice system data, including charging decisions, is difficult to obtain, but it
19 can be crucial to understanding statewide justice system outcomes and making comparisons between
20 jurisdictions; and
21 WHEREAS, although data, data quality, and the use of data to measure criminal justice system
22 outcomes are often discussed in legislative hearings, these related topics have not yet been the focus of an
23 interim study.
24
25 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
26 THE STATE OF MONTANA:
27 That the Legislative Council be requested to designate an appropriate interim committee or statutory
28 committee, pursuant to section 5-5-217, MCA, or direct sufficient staff resources to study the collection and
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67th Legislature HJ 31.1
1 dissemination of criminal justice system data.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the study:
3 (1) inventory existing statutory requirements to collect data related to the criminal justice system;
4 (2) identify what criminal justice system data elements are currently collected and maintained by state
5 and local governments;
6 (3) review how all data elements are being collected, maintained, or reported, including but not limited
7 to the software programs or technologies used in the collection, maintenance, or reporting of the data;
8 (4) review national best practices related to the collection and accessibility of criminal justice system
9 data and other states' use of data portals to provide public access to criminal justice system data;
10 (5) assess if the data collected or recommended to be collected on offenders and programs will
11 provide criminal justice agencies, the Legislature, and the public adequate information to determine whether
12 state resources are being used efficiently and effectively to achieve the state's correctional and sentencing
13 policy;
14 (6) identify any gaps in the data or accessibility to the data for research purposes and for use by
15 system stakeholders and policymakers; and
16 (7) recommend solutions to improve the collection, maintenance, and accessibility of criminal justice
17 system data in the state.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the study involve input from state, tribal, and local criminal justice
19 system stakeholders.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if the study is assigned to staff, any findings or conclusions be
21 presented to and reviewed by an appropriate committee designated by the Legislative Council.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all aspects of the study, including presentation and review
23 requirements, be concluded prior to September 15, 2022.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the final results of the study, including any findings, conclusions,
25 comments, or recommendations of the appropriate committee, be reported to the 68th Legislature.
26 - END -
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