Montana’s Justice Reinvestment Approach: Curbing State Prison Population Growth and Reinvesting in Local Public Safety Strategies

In Montana, a justice reinvestment approach produced a comprehensive package of legislation that will reserve prison space for people who pose the greatest risk to public safety, alleviate jail overcrowding, and help ensure communities are safer. Included in the legislation are policies to create a professional parole board, develop new pretrial service programs, create or expand deferred prosecution programs, and create local grant programs to help provide housing opportunities for people leaving prison and jail. This publication presents a full summary of the justice reinvestment process and legislation.