Agency: Governor's Office

Line Item: Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice

Function

The Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) line item was created by the 1983 Legislature. This commission reports directly to the Governor. It is designed to promote philosophical agreement concerning the objectives of the criminal and juvenile justice system in Utah and to provide a mechanism for coordinating the functions of the various branches and levels of government concerned with criminal and juvenile justice. The commission also helps coordinate statewide efforts to reduce crime and victimization in Utah. The Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice Line Item consists of nine programs. They are:

1. CCJJ Commission
2. Crime Victim Reparations
3. Extraditions
4. Substance Abuse and Anti-Violence
5. Sentencing Commission
6. Crime Prevention Grant
7. Crime Reduction Assistance Program
8. Sexual Exploitation of Children
9. Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission

Statutory Authority

Statutory Authorization for the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice is found in UCA 63M-7-201.

Funding Detail

Program: CCJJ Commission

Function

The CCJJ Commission program manages state and federal criminal and juvenile justice grant programs and provides analysis, accountability recommendations, and supervision of criminal justice grant monies. It assisted in the establishment of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Center: a cooperative research unit utilizing university level researchers and state justice researchers. The Commission also provides a criminal justice plan annually. The plan is continually updated as the justice environment is evolving. The Commission is further refining the plan to include more activities and performance measurement.

Funding Detail

Program: Crime Victim Reparations

Function

The Crime Victim Reparations program was created in 1986 to help compensate victims of violent crime. More than $147.6 million has been awarded through compensation and victim assistance grants since inception. The Office of Crime Victim Reparations provides compensation to victims of violent crime and administers and monitors Victim of Crime Act Compensation and Assistance Grants, as well as the Stop Violence Against Women Act Grant.

This program is responsible for administering the Crime Victim Reparations Trust Fund under guidelines established by statute and the Crime Victim Reparations Board.

No state tax dollars are used to fund the Crime Victim Reparation program. Expenditures from the Trust Fund may include reparations for victims, funding for other victim services, and administrative costs for the Crime Victim Reparation Office and the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice as appropriated by the Legislature.

Funding Detail

Program: Extraditions

Function

The Extraditions program is responsible for paying the travel-related costs of prisoner extraditions from other states and countries to Utah. Such payments are authorized under the Utah Code and typically include travel, lodging, and meals for the officers and the prisoner. The officers' salaries are paid by the jurisdiction requesting the extradition. CCJJ coordinated and paid for 312 extraditions in FY 2008

Funding Detail

Program: Substance Abuse and Anti-violence

Function

The Utah Substance Abuse and Anti-Violence (USAAV) Coordinating Council was established by the 1990 Utah Legislature. The Council consists of a minimum of 25 members, plus the chairs of any subcommittees created by the Council. Subcommittees are established as needed and currently include the following: Anti-Violence and Justice, Driving Under the influence (DUI), Drug-Exposed Newborns, Drug Offender Reform Act (DORA) Oversight, Prevention, Public Health and Treatment. The mission of the USAAV Coordinating Council is to provide a unified voice for the establishment of a comprehensive strategy to combat substance abuse, illegal drug activity and community violence. The Council reports annually to the Governor, the Legislature, the Judicial Council, and the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.

Funding Detail

Program: Sentencing Commission

Function

The Sentencing Commission was created by the Legislature in the 1993 General Session with the following purpose:

'…to develop guidelines and propose recommendations to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Judicial Council about the sentencing and release of juvenile and adult offenders in order to: respond to public comment; relate sentencing practices and correctional resources; increase equity in criminal sentencing; better define responsibility in criminal sentencing; enhance the discretion of sentencing judges while preserving the role of the Board of Pardons and Parole and the Youth Parole Authority.'

Funding Detail

Program: Crime Prevention Grant

Function

The Crime Prevention Grant program gives funding emphasis to statewide crime prevention efforts as well as law enforcement training and mentoring activities. Crime prevention programs are defined through two categories: universal prevention such as public awareness campaigns and educational efforts; targeted prevention aimed at specific populations such as young people or seniors.

Funding Detail

Program: Crime Reduction Assistance Program

Function

During the 2004 General Session, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 175, 'Protection of Private Lawfully Obtained Property.' The bill created the Crime Reduction Assistance Program. The intent of this program is to fund crime prevention and law enforcement activities within specific guidelines. As such, the bill places the condition on agencies seizing private property as a result of illegal activities to direct these liquidated and forfeited assets to the Criminal Forfeiture Restricted Account (CFRA). Once state forfeiture funds are placed in the CFRA, the Legislature may choose to appropriate the funds to the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) to be allocated to agencies providing drug interdiction and treatment programs. CCJJ has developed a grant program that can be evaluated. Once funds are allocated by CCJJ, the recipient agencies will report back to CCJJ on how the funds were used. CCJJ will compile the data and report it annually to the Legislature.

Funding Detail

Program: Sexual Exploitation of Children

Function

During the 2006 General Session, the Legislature passed House Bill 170, 'Prosecution and Prevention of Child Pornography Offenses Amendments.' The bill created a one-time $1 million grant program to be administered by the Commission. In FY 2007, the Legislature voted to make the Sexual Exploitation of Children Program grant an ongoing program.

Funding Detail

Program: Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission

Function

The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission was created by the 2008 Legislature to conduct performance evaluations on Utah's judges. The 13 member commission is charged with providing voters with evaluations and retention recommendations for judges standing for elections. The statute outlines the process for performing the evaluations and communicating the results to the voters. The new Commission held its first meeting in September, 2008, where it selected a commission chair and began the process of hiring staff for the commission. According to the statute, the first judicial evaluations must be conducted during 2009.

Funding Detail