October 3, 2023 Rice County Board Work Session
All commissioners were present. After the Pledge of Allegiance the only item of business was hearing a report from Angela Brewer, Community Corrections Manager, on a large new grant from the US Department of Justice to support Second Chance Smart Supervision (probation) in the Community Services and Community Corrections Department. The full report can be read at https://ricecountymn.portal.civicclerk.com/event/715/files
Community Corrections has been awarded a grant through the US Department of Justice aimed at increasing successful community supervision for justice-involved adults. The project is focused upon creating equitable opportunities for this success through a combination of strategies including increased staff training and program offerings, creating a restitution work program to increase opportunities for victim restoration, and reducing barriers … to complete or comply with conditions of supervision.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The grant award is $400,000.00 and will fund a combination of services not currently provided by the department as well as supplementing existing services. Grant funding will be used to fund aspects of programs and training that have previously been funded by the department’s operating budget, thereby reducing the financial cost for the department that is supported by the County tax levy. The grant period is three years in duration.
Angela pointed to the written report and highlighted the focus on domestic violence. Rice County currently must send its domestic violence alleged offenders out of county for mandated pretrial assessments and for mandated followup education. This grant will enable the creation of in-county capacity to provide those services.
Many offenders are required to make restitution, and may struggle to do so long after their probation would be over but for that failure, costing the county for continuing probation supervision. This program creates the opportunity to perform community service in the county, with the offender’s payment for that work to go toward the restitution that is owed.
The grant will also fund needed transportation (bus service tokens) and childcare for indigent ex-offenders.
Angela pointed out that the grant was INCREASED by the DOJ from the requested $271,000 to $400,000. She said the DOJ felt the requested amount would not be enough to fulfill the goals of the project. A Commissioner said it surely reflected the good work of her department in finding innovative ways to do more with existing resources. She said that her department’s success in tracking outcomes was a big factor.
Angela pointed out that funding has no conditions, no additional staff need be hired, and the County is not obligated by its acceptance of the grant to continue the program after funding expires in three years. One Commissioner expressed satisfaction that no investment was required from the County.
The report included an interesting graph showing the great disparity between white and non-white unemployment in Rice County and even more sharply among clients of this department. (I can’t figure out how to copy it. Here is the link to the report: https://ricecountymn.portal.civicclerk.com/event/715/files)
