Justice Reinvestment in Idaho: Overview
In early 2013, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, Chief Justice Roger Burdick, Senate President Pro Tempore Brent Hill, and House Speaker Scott Bedke requested support from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to explore a “justice reinvestment” approach to reduce state corrections spending and reinvest a portion of the savings generated in strategies to increase public safety. The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center was asked to provide intensive technical assistance to aid in the collection and analysis of data and the development of appropriate policy options.
Arkansas policymakers have long expressed concerns about the state’s high recidivism rate. Over the past 10 years, an…
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In April 2025, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a package of bipartisan criminal justice legislation into law,…
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Explainer: Key Findings and Options from Arkansas’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative
Arkansas policymakers have long expressed concerns about the state’s high recidivism rate. Over the past 10 years, an estimated 72 percent of prison admissions in the state involved people who were revoked from supervision, with unmet substance use and mental health challenges playing a significant role in these failures.
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Explainer: How a New Law in Arkansas Tackles Crime, Recidivism, and Community Supervision Challenges
In April 2025, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a package of bipartisan criminal justice legislation into law, which is designed to increase public safety and improve community supervision. The legislation passed nearly unanimously.
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