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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR

Altamirano

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/25/07

HB

SHORT TITLE

6

th

Judicial District Restorative Justice

SB

138

ANALYST

C.Sanchez

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$0.0

$270.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

This Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee sponsored bill provides for an appropriation of

$270,000 from the general fund to the sixth judicial district court for expenditure in FY 2008 to

provide juvenile and adult offender restorative justice services in the sixth judicial district,

including mediation, community conferencing and justice circles. Any unexpended or

unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY 2008 shall revert to the general fund.

The Restorative Justice Program claims to provide the following benefits:

•

Victims are provided an opportunity to face the offender, ask questions only the offender

can answer, and express the impact of the crime on themselves and their family.

•

The community has a meaningful voice in the cause and effect of crime in their

neighborhoods.

•

Studies consistently show a reduction in repeat offenses by offenders after participating

in restorative justice. Offenders realize that it is about more than just breaking the law,

and that they have affected others. They are in turn supported in repairing the harm in a

meaningful way.

•

Participants indicate high satisfaction for the process.

Senate Bill 138 – Page

2

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $270,000 is to hire an employee (.5 FTE) to support this project. The

remaining funds (contractual) will be used for the design and implementation of restorative

justice practices and research and evaluation to incorporate best practices and monitor and

demonstrate effectiveness. Community volunteers and donations will provide additional support.

The total amount of $270,000 is recurring expenses and increases the budget of the sixth judicial

district court.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This bill will increase the 6

th

Judicial District’s Budget by 10 percent.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

A portion of the funding will be used to evaluate the program, incorporate best practices and

monitor and demonstrate the effectiveness of the program.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Status quo.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Would a smaller appropriation produce similar results.

CS/csd