Sponsor: Community Corrections
Title
title
Joint Powers Agreement with State of Minnesota, Department of Corrections to Provide Supervision Services for Offenders referred to Ramsey County Community Corrections for Supervised Release or Intensive Supervised Release.
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Recommendation
recommendation
1. Approve the Joint Powers Agreement with the State of Minnesota, Department of Corrections for supervision of early released offenders from Minnesota Correctional Facilities to Supervised Release due to the Coronavirus Pandemic for the period of July 1, 2020 or the date the State obtains all required signatures, whichever is later through December 30, 2020, or until all obligations have been satisfactorily fulfilled, whichever occurs first, at the reimbursement rate of $6.94 per day per offender under Supervised Release and $18.52 per day per offender under Intensive Supervised Release in the not-to-exceed amount of $35,624.43.
2. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the agreement.
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Background
background
Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the State of Minnesota, Department of Corrections (DOC), has begun releasing clients early from their confinement in Minnesota Correctional Facilities for the safety of the entire incarcerated population. The DOC was awarded Federal CARES Act funding to support Community Corrections Act agencies in assisting the DOC with supervision of these early-released clients. Ramsey County Community Corrections was made aware of these funds by the DOC in early September, 2020. The goal of this expansion of early release is to better manage and minimize the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 inside Minnesota Correctional Facilities.
Through September of 2020, Ramsey County Supervised Release (SR) and Intensive Supervised Release (ISR) have received approximately 30 clients that would not have been released to the community prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ramsey County, this constitutes a full-time caseload for this population of high-risk clients. Ramsey County has been asked to provide supervision for these clients without additional assistance and has adapted to the request by using existing internal resources. Each client has additional needs for resources and programming not available in the Department of Corrections. Ramsey County is offering these additional resources to clients without corresponding financial support from the DOC.
Some of the clients referred by the State will be clients diagnosed with COVID-19 and will be designated as Early Work Release clients. Most clients, however, will fall into the category of COVID-19 Conditional Medical Release clients; clients having other medical issues that lead to their early release. The State will pay Ramsey County Community Corrections per-day, per-client released to SR $6.94 and $18.52 per-day per-client released to ISR under the terms of the Agreement.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
People of color have been inordinately affected by COVID-19. Clients of color released from the DOC will be able to take personal measures to mitigate their chances of getting the virus in the community. They will also have access to their personal healthcare system. As some clients already have medical issues that have led to their release, it is likely they are more vulnerable to the virus than the general public.
The DOC provides very limited access to client programming. Ramsey County offers client programs that include, but are not limited to; chemical dependency and mental health treatment, housing assistance, employment, education, life skills, financial assistance, cognitive programming, etc. These programs have shown to reduce recidivism and assist clients in long term desistance.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Clients that are released to the community are able to reunite with their families and their community months, and in some cases years before they had originally planned when sentenced. They have an opportunity to rebuild a life that was interrupted. Ramsey County Community Corrections SR and ISR officers work with the clients to get re-acclimated to life outside of prison and work with clients on short- and long-term goals. Ramsey County Community Corrections supports clients to help them stay in the community and not experience incarceration again. The department also supports clients to become leaders within their communities and cease involvement with the criminal justice system. The opportunities provided to clients on Conditional Medical Release quicken that process.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funding to support these services is provided through the Joint Powers Agreement with the State of Minnesota, Department of Corrections. There are funds available in the 2020 Community Corrections budget. Funds received from the DOC will help to help defray costs already incurred for services provided to SR and ISR clients. Ramsey County Community Corrections will be reimbursed for these services by the DOC beginning on July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.
County Manager Comments
County Board approval is required to enter into Joint Powers Agreements.
Last Previous Action
None.
Attachments
1.Joint Powers Agreement with the State of Minnesota