AOC President Bill Hall and Marion County Sheriff Jason Myers testified
March 23 to the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Public Safety during
the Department of Corrections (DOC) budget presentations. The corrections
department budget contains community corrections grant-in-aid funding, which
sends over $260 million to counties to fund supervision, treatment, and
reentry programs.
“We realize these are tough budget times, but we are asking you to protect
any cuts to our public safety system, including those at DOC,” said Hall.
“We are concerned about proposed cuts to community corrections.”
The Governor’s Recommended Budget proposed a five percent cut to community
corrections baseline funding, which equals $13 million. An additional $20
million was proposed to be cut as projected savings from a policy bill
reducing possession of controlled substance (drug possession) crimes from
felony to misdemeanor. Public safety advocates are united in their
opposition to the loss of this funding.
“Grant-in-aid funding in cooperation with justice reinvestment grant funding
has helped us avoid building a new prison while allowing counties to
continue carrying out these successful programs,” said Hall.
Hall also had a chance to highlight his presidential initiative, the
Stepping Up Initiative.
“There are an estimated two million people with serious mental illnesses
admitted to jails each year,” said Hall. “I hope you will join me in
recognizing this issue and urging our counties to step up in their efforts.”