Statewide Detention Repository

Greetings,

Local law enforcement and other criminal justice system stakeholders have asked the Montana Board of Crime Control (MBCC) to facilitate the state’s strategic response to jail overcrowding. With guidance from the Detention Dilemma Workgroup that many of you were a part of, and guidance from the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), the Montana Board of Crime Control took on the task of developing a statewide detention repository capable of collecting data from Montana’s local jails and detention centers. The statewide detention repository is a direct result of a recommendation made by the NIC.

Detention data is critical to gaining insight and understanding of where jail overcrowding is occurring and why it is happening. Law enforcement, decision makers, and stakeholders can use this data to analyze what is causing the overcrowding of the states jails. Additionally, the data can be used to guide policy and decision making aimed at correcting the overcrowding issues.

The detention repository has been programmed and we are currently collecting data from a few detention centers. MBCC believes that we have access to a wealth of information from those detention centers.

MBCC would like to invite you to attend a facilitated meeting to make recommendations about how this data can best be used. We will showcase the capabilities of the state detention repository and you will also be able to provide insight as to how we can make it better. You will also have an opportunity to decide if you would like to take advantage of the system.

Again, MBCC would encourage you to attend the meeting on May 30, 2008, in Bozeman, Montana. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, (Larkspur A Room) and the tentative schedule is a for a one day meeting starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending no later than 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. MBCC may be able to cover some travel costs.

The meeting will be facilitated by Madeline Carter, who is a national expert on offender management. You may recognize her name, as she also facilitated a previous meeting for the Detention Dilemma Workgroup.

If you are interested in attending this meeting, please RSVP to Claudia Martin by May 16, 2008. You can reach her by email at clmartin@mt.gov or by phone at 1-406-444-4244.

Thanks for your consideration,

Roland Mena
Executive Director

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