Criminal Justice Experts Join CSG Justice Center

A diverse group of criminal justice professionals from across the country have joined the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center as advisors, expanding the expertise of the organization in the support of its core projects, including the National Reentry Resource Center, the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, and the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.

Among the new experts joining the national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization are Steve Allen, previously the executive director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services at the Minnesota Department of Human Services; Cathy McVey, former chair of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; Grace Call, former head of the Utah Coalition of Sexual Assault; Nancy Arrigona, former director of Research for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; Risë Haneberg, former criminal justice coordinator for Johnson County, KS; and Christopher Fisher, Ph.D., former director of Analysis and Integrated Solutions for the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. The CSG Justice Center has also engaged Russ Hauge, the former prosecutor in Kitsap County, WA, as a consultant.

“We are very excited to bring aboard this extraordinary collection of talented people, who have served state and local governments across the U.S.,” said Mike Lawlor, chair of the CSG Justice Center’s Executive Committee. “These terrific additions to our team, together with the diversity of our board and the various organizations with which we are partnering, demonstrate our commitment to meeting the needs—and understanding the perspective—of each stakeholder in the justice system.”

Mr. Allen brings more than 17 years of experience to the CSG Justice Center. He began his career in behavioral health in 1998, working in clinical settings in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He served in a number of positions during his tenure with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, most recently as the director of Behavioral Health Services. In 2013, Mr. Allen became the executive director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services with the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Over Ms. McVey’s 40-year career in criminal justice, she served as assistant director for Treatment and Reentry for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, deputy secretary for Administration for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, and chair of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. As an independent contractor, Ms. McVey has provided technical assistance to numerous professional organizations dealing with criminal justice issues, including the Association of Paroling Authorities International, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Center for Effective Policy, and the National Institute of Corrections.

Committed to guiding the development of public policy through action-oriented research, Dr. Fisher comes to the CSG Justice Center from the New York City Mayor’s Office, where he worked to coordinate the planning, analysis, and evaluation of inter-agency efforts to solve place-based criminal justice challenges in New York City. Chris has served in similar capacities for other New York City criminal justice agencies, including the New York City Police Department, the Department of Probation, the Administration for Children’s Services, and the former Department of Juvenile Justice.

Ms. Call will apply her extensive experience working with victims of crime to her new role as a senior policy analyst at the CSG Justice Center. Along with previously leading the Utah Coalition of Sexual Assault, Ms. Call directed the Victim’s of Crime Assistance program for the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy in Washington State.

As the CSG Justice Center increases its focus on juvenile justice issues, Ms. Arrigona brings the expertise directing the Research Division of the government agency overseeing the second largest juvenile justice system in the country. Before her time at the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Ms. Arrigona served as director of Research for the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and as director of Research at the Texas Criminal Justice Policy Council.

Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Ms. Haneberg served as the criminal justice coordinator for Johnson County, KS, facilitating the coordination of criminal justice-related activities for the District Court, sheriff, district attorney, Department of Corrections, Court Services Department and the Johnson County Mental Health Center. Ms. Haneberg previously served as the Chief Court Service Officer of the 10th Judicial District Court, Johnson County, Kansas and began her career in criminal justice as a juvenile probation officer in 1979.

Mr. Hauge served nearly 20 years as prosecutor in Kitsap County, and served as chair of the Legislative Committee for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. Mr. Hauge is also a founding member of the Washington State Sex Offender Policy Board and a former member of the Washington Sentencing Guidelines Commission.