History of the RTF

The concept of a coordinated community-based approach to offender re-entry dates back to December 7, 2005 when the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) prioritized 26 goals (low, medium, high priority).  The top six priorities agreed upon were as follows:

 

Prevention

Arthurian Roundtable

Discussions on Tough Issues

Misdemeanor Probation

Meth

Re-entry Coordinating                   

 

On August 5, 2009, the topic of re-entry was addressed by the CJCC at their monthly meeting and carried over to the Annual Meeting on September 10, 2009.  One of four action plans emerging from the Annual Meeting was "create a task force to explore ways to reduce recidivism." County Attorney Marty Lambert and Rev Roxanne Klingensmith agreed to co-chair this new task force/subcommittee.  Thus, the CJCC Subcommittee on Empowering Reentry and Reducing Recidivism was birthed in September 2009 after a long gestation period.  

 

During 2009-2010, the CJCC Subcommittee established a vision, a mission, a set of Guiding Principles and Core Values, appointed several Work Groups and defined recidivism as a "return to jail or prison for a new conviction or technical violation within 36 months of release from confinement or supervision."

 

The CJCC was created in 2000 in response to Resolution 2000-30 of the Gallatin County Commission. Gallatin County criminal justice officials agree to work together to accomplish the goals and objectives of the CJCC. See the ByLaws of CJCC  The vision, mission, goals and objectives of the new subcommittee are well aligned with the principal mission of the CJCC which is to study Gallatin County's juvenile and adult criminal justice system; identify deficiencies; raise public awareness; consolidate efforts; and formulate policy, plans, and programs to improve the system.