SJC Exchange Library

Originally posted by Thomas Eberly on 12/03/2025

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JMI has released a new national study that examines how states and counties structure their local criminal justice systems and the role that CJCCs play within those arrangements. The report reviews public records across all fifty states to identify whether counties have a CJCC-level council or rely on other types of bodies to coordinate system-wide issues.

The findings show wide variation in how local coordination is organized. Some states have statutes or statewide expectations that support the formation of councils. Others depend on community corrections planning boards, which offer a narrower but sometimes overlapping structure. In many states, counties create CJCCs only when local leaders choose to do so, which results in different approaches even within the same state. Through this review, the study identifies more than 300 counties with a confirmed CJCC-level council and describes the broader patterns that shape coordination across the country.

This national overview offers county and state officials, policymakers, and justice partners a clearer understanding of how local governance varies and how CJCCs fit into the wider landscape.

To learn more and access the report, please click here.

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Thomas Eberly
Program Director
Justice Management Institute