Okla. Stat. tit. 57, § 57-521.2: Transformational Justice Act - Transformational Justice

Interagency Task Force - Revolving funds.

A. There is hereby created until July 1, 2010, the

"Transformational Justice Interagency Task Force". The

Transformational Justice Interagency Task Force shall be composed of

the following members:

1. The Director of the Department of Corrections, or a

designee;

2. The Executive Director of the Office of Juvenile Affairs, or

a designee;

3. The Attorney General, or a designee;

4. The State Commissioner of Health, or a designee;

5. The Director of the Department of Human Services, or a

designee;

6. The Commissioner of Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Services, or a designee;

7. The Presiding Judge of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal

Appeals, or a designee;

8. The Executive Coordinator of the District Attorneys Council,

or a designee;

9. The Executive Director of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense

System, or a designee;

10. Two members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives

appointed by the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives;

and

11. Two members of the Oklahoma State Senate appointed by the

President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

B. The chair shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Oklahoma

House of Representatives on or before December 1, 2007. The vice-

chair shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the

Oklahoma State Senate on or before December 1, 2007. The chair

shall convene the first meeting of the Task Force on or before

January 1, 2008. The members of the Task Force shall elect any

other officers during the first meeting and upon a vacancy in any

office. The Task Force shall meet as often as necessary. Task

Force members employed by the state shall be reimbursed for travel

expenses related to their service on the Task Force by their

respective agencies pursuant to the provisions of the State Travel

Reimbursement Act. Legislative members of the Task Force shall be

reimbursed for their necessary travel expenses incurred in the

performance of their duties in accordance with Section 456 of Title

74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Remaining Task Force members shall be

reimbursed travel expenses related to their service on the Task

Force by their appointing authorities pursuant to the provisions of

the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

C. The Transformational Justice Interagency Task Force shall:

1. Establish goals for reducing the rate of recidivism among

inmates;

2. Coordinate the reentry programs of the state to help inmates

find jobs, housing, substance abuse treatment, medical care, and

mental health services;

3. Ensure that those who supervise offenders in prison are

linked to those that will supervise them after release;

4. Identify methods to improve collaboration and coordination

of reentry programs and services, including cross-training,

management information systems that are accessible to partner

agencies, screening procedures to assess and refer efficiently

across federal, state and local boundaries, and policies and

procedures that measure offender reentry management with well-

defined performance-based outcomes;

5. Seek partnerships with faith-based and community groups to

provide programs and services;

6. Identify effective evidence-based practices in reentry

support, treatment and intervention programs;

7. Encourage expansion of family-based treatment centers that

offer family-based comprehensive treatment services for parents and

their children as a complete family unit;

8. Develop and establish a parenting skills program to be

implemented by the Department of Corrections for inmates who are

within one (1) year of being released from incarceration. The

parenting skills program shall provide education and training to

develop and enhance inmate parenting skills with an emphasis on

providing techniques to teach the inmate how to raise a healthier

e family unit;

8. Develop and establish a parenting skills program to be

implemented by the Department of Corrections for inmates who are

within one (1) year of being released from incarceration. The

parenting skills program shall provide education and training to

develop and enhance inmate parenting skills with an emphasis on

providing techniques to teach the inmate how to raise a healthier

child who will be less at risk of engaging in future criminal

activities;

9. Establish collaboration among corrections and community

corrections, technical schools, community colleges, and the

workforce development and employment service sectors to:

a. promote, where appropriate, the employment of people

released from prison and jail, through federal efforts

such as educating employers about existing financial

incentives and facilitate the creation of job

opportunities, including transitional jobs, for this

population that will benefit communities,

b. connect inmates to employment, including supportive

employment and employment services, before their

release to the community, and

c. address barriers to employment;

10. Include victims in the reentry process and facilitate

victim-offender dialogue when the victim is willing; and

11. Communicate regularly with local agencies and faith-based

and community groups.

D. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving

fund for the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives to be designated the

"Reintegration of Inmates Revolving Fund". The fund shall be a

continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall

consist of monies received from appropriated funds to be used for

grants to volunteer organizations including, but not limited to,

faith-based organizations which provide health, educational or

vocational training and programs that assist the reintegration

efforts of the Reentry Policy Council. All monies accruing to the

credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and

expended by the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives. Expenditures

from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State

Treasurer against claims filed as prescribed by law with the

Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for

approval and payment.

E. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving

fund for the Department of Corrections to be designated the

"Transformational Justice Revolving Fund". The fund shall be a

continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall

consist of monies received from appropriated funds to be used for

bonuses to corrections officials who demonstrate improvement in

recidivism rates of inmates that were previously under the custody

of the Department of Corrections. All monies accruing to the credit

of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended

by the Department of Corrections. Expenditures from the fund shall

be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer against claims

filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the Office of

Management and Enterprise Services for approval and payment.

F. The Department of Corrections shall develop rules and

policies which ensure that recidivism rates are included in the

performance reviews, promotions and compensation adjustments of

correctional officers.