Centre County Criminal Justice Advisory Board Receives Honor
Centre County Criminal Justice Advisory Board Receives Honor Statecollege.com
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Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency Recognizes Centre County’s Criminal Justice Advisory Board
Pictured from left: Centre County Commissioner Amber Concepcion, Commissioner Chair Mark Higgins, Jessica Shearer, Karri Hull, Judge Brian Marshall, Ryan Smeltzer, Tracy Small, Cathy Arbogast, Sheriff Bryan Sampsel and Commissioner Steve
Dershem. Photo provided | Centre County Government
Introduction
The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency recognized Centre County’s Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB) with a statewide honor in early April at its annual conference in State College.
Award and Efforts
Centre County CJAB received the Best Practices Award. It was selected from among 67 advisory boards in Pennsylvania for efforts including:
- Stepping Up Initiatives — A national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails/prisons;
- Behavioral Health Court — A collaboration of criminal justice and mental health systems aimed at providing structured mental health treatment and supervision to criminal offenders with serious mental illness diagnoses;
- Centre County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)— Biannual trainings offered to first responders, such as law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, and emergency medical staff among others;
- Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative —Collaborations with community agencies to alleviate the effects of substance use, the opiate epidemic, and overdoses;
- Reentry Coalition—A task force with the goal of reducing recidivism and enhancing the successful return of people into the community.
Recognition and Appreciation
Centre County commissioners recognized members of the CJAB during their meeting on April 16, where they were joined by Court of Common Pleas Judge Brian Marshall and Karri Hull, criminal justice planning director.
“Congratulations for all your good work,” Board of Commissioners Vice-Chair Amber Concepcion said. “I think we’ve got such a dedicated staff… doing the strategic planning and bringing all of these pieces together. We’re proud of the work you all are doing.”
Mission and Purpose
Formed in 1999, the Centre County CJAB’s mission is to provide an ongoing forum for communication and collaboration among key decision-makers for evaluating, analyzing, planning and recommending action to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the county’s criminal justice system and the individuals it serves.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
- Indicator: The article mentions the “Stepping Up Initiatives,” which is a national initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails/prisons. This initiative aligns with the target of promoting mental health and well-being.
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SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
- Indicator: The article mentions the Behavioral Health Court, which is a collaboration between the criminal justice and mental health systems to provide structured mental health treatment and supervision to criminal offenders with serious mental illness diagnoses. This initiative aligns with the target of ensuring equal access to justice for all.
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SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
- Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
- Indicator: The article mentions collaborations with community agencies for the Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. These collaborations demonstrate effective public and civil society partnerships in addressing substance use and the opiate epidemic.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. | The “Stepping Up Initiatives” to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails/prisons. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. | The Behavioral Health Court providing structured mental health treatment and supervision to criminal offenders with serious mental illness diagnoses. |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. | The collaborations with community agencies for the Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education (HOPE) Initiative. |
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Fuente: statecollege.com
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