Spotlight: How Justice Reinvestment Helps Law Enforcement in Nevada

Through JRI analysis, Nevada’s Advisory Commission on the Administration of Justice (ACAJ) determined that given law enforcement’s role as the first point of contact for people entering the criminal justice system, they needed additional tools and resources to better respond to people with behavioral health needs. ACAJ’s subsequent recommendations were translated into Assembly Bill (AB) 236. Enacted in June 2019, AB 236 requires

• The development of standards for CIT programs to train law enforcement officers to identify signs and symptoms of mental health disorders and provide them with skills to de- escalate situations involving people experiencing a mental health crisis;
• The establishment of a Mental Health Field Response Grant Program to encourage expansion of innovative law enforcement programs;
• Averted costs as a result of AB 236 to be calculated and funding to be prioritized for targeted areas such as behavioral health; and
• The establishment of a JRI local coordinating council that will allow representatives from each county to identify public safety needs and recommend grants for local initiatives, including law enforcement programs.

For more information on how JRI has helped law enforcement in states across the country, see The Justice Reinvestment Initiative Helps Law Enforcement Keep Communities Safe.