NCJ Number
185406
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 62 Issue: 6 Dated: October 2000 Pages: 92-131
Date Published
October 2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The Palm Beach County (Fla.) Board of County Commissioners created a 33-member entity called the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) in 1988 to provide coordination and advice regarding law enforcement and crime prevention efforts in the county.
Abstract
The CJC has 21 public-sector members and 12 private-sector members who meet monthly to examine issues specified by a 13-member executive committee. The CJC operates through a committee process. The Corrections Task Force meets monthly to monitor the jail population; review programs, practices, policies, and laws related to corrections; and make recommendations to ensure the efficient use of beds. Topics it has examined include local criminal justice system policies and practices, the availability of alternative programs, court case processing time, and State laws and new legislation. The benefits of the shared decision making established by the CJC include progress through consensus, the development of relationships, the use of a forum with an established framework, and the analysis of issues from a system perspective. Palm Beach County’s experience suggests that it is in every jurisdiction’s best interest to create similar entities. Photograph