Programs

Get the Latest Information on How American Rescue Plan Resources Can be Used to Advance Justice Goals

June 22, 2021

As state and local leaders consider how to spend funding available through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the stakes are high. The federal stimulus provides nearly $1.9 trillion in relief to address the economic impacts of COVID-19, including $350 billion in flexible State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to meet local needs.

Many states and local communities are looking to use ARP resources to advance key justice-related goals. But it can be difficult to keep track of new ARP guidance released across multiple federal agencies. Communication across jurisdictions may be lacking, and state and local leaders often aren’t keyed into other communities’ plans to use ARP resources for similar purposes.

We have been compiling the latest information to help state and local leaders understand how ARP resources can be leveraged to support more effective and less costly approaches to public health and safety.

Our updated digital guide outlines need-to-know insights for state and local leaders about this opportunity to invest in criminal justice initiatives and rethink public safety.
Our recent virtual discussion with leading experts highlights ways that ARP funding can support collaborative crisis and early diversion responses to reduce criminal justice contact for people with behavioral health needs.

These resources show how ARP funding can be used to fundamentally transform our approach to safety and justice. For example, states and local communities can invest in:

Community-based health programs and services that promote equity and provide alternatives to incarceration
Comprehensive and culturally specific supports for sexual assault and domestic violence survivors
Services that help people live and take part in the community, such as peer support services, intensive case management, and supported employment
Stable housing—a fundamental part of successful reentry—through emergency shelter grants, construction of affordable housing, and the purchase of new shelter spaces for people experiencing homelessness.

And that’s just the beginning.

We encourage people to check back regularly; the resource will continue to be updated as more guidance is issued. The CSG Justice Center will also continue to release additional resources like case studies, webinars, and informational articles to help states and local communities effectively apply ARP resources to advance key safety and justice priorities.

Please take our five-minute survey to share your community’s plans for using ARP funds to advance safety and justice priorities.

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About the Author

Marshall Clement

Deputy Director

Marshall Clement provides strategic leadership across the breadth of the CSG Justice Center’s policy and programmatic work to increase public safety and strengthen communities. Previously, Marshall served as the organization’s director of the State Initiatives Division. Over a 13-year tenure

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at the CSG Justice Center, Marshall led the growth and evolution of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative program, which assists policymakers seeking to reduce spending on corrections and reinvest savings in strategies that lower recidivism rates and increase public safety. As part of this process, Marshall coordinated the work of a team of policy analysts and national experts to analyze corrections data and policy and develop policy options for policymakers in 27 states. He regularly facilitated meetings among judicial and state agency officials and testified before legislative committees in various states across the country; his findings have been used to inform policy initiatives that have enjoyed overwhelming bipartisan support. Marshall received his BA in public policy with honors from Brown University.