Montana State Legislature

Study Background: Although most state, tribal, and local criminal justice agencies collect data, Montana does not have a central database or clearinghouse. That absence can limit the state's ability to identify areas that might benefit from statutory changes and to track the effectiveness of improvements to criminal justice system processes and interventions. The 2017 Legislature enacted multiple bills to restructure parts of the state's criminal justice system. However, tracking the effectiveness of those changes has been hindered by the lack of accurate, complete data from arrest to release from prison or supervision. Local criminal justice system data, including charging decisions, can be difficult to obtain but is crucial to understanding the statewide system and comparing outcomes in different jurisdictions. Although criminal justice data, its quality, and its use to measure criminal justice system outcomes are often discussed in legislative hearings, these topics have not been the focus of an interim study.

House Joint Resolution 31 (2021), sponsored by Rep. Frank Fleming, requested an interim committee study criminal justice data collection and dissemination.

Documents generated by the study will be posted on this page. To view committee meetings in the 2021-2022 interim, click on the Meeting Minutes tab on the home page.

June 2022 Materials

• Sen. Lynch and Rep. Usher letter to stakeholders
• LJIC Questions for stakeholders
• Data Question responses from agencies -- updated June 30
• Data bill comparison table -- LSD
• Draft legislation:
  • HJ 31-1
  • HJ 31-2
  • HJ 31-3
  • HJ 31-4

May 2022 Materials

• Idaho data integration bill (HB 432)
  • HB 432 explanation
• LJIC Draft Bills
  • LJIC letter to stakeholders
  • LJIC questions for stakeholders
  • HJ 31-1: require data collection
  • HJ 31-2: data collection study/recommendations
  • HJ 31-3: data integration/research database
• List of Judicial Branch data exchanges -- Court Administrator
• Initial responses to LJIC questions, as of April 28 -- Judicial Branch and DOJ
• Data Bill Comparison Table -- LSD
• Presentation slides: Ashley Dowell and Monty Prow (Idaho)

March 2022 Materials

• Staff report: Montana Statutes Requiring Collection of Criminal Justice System Data
• Presentation slides: Kevin Gilbertson (State CIO) and Adam Carpenter (Chief Data Officer)
  • State of Montana Data Strategy -- Office of the Chief Data Officer
  • Data Summit presentation -- Adam Carpenter
• Draft/Sample Bills
  • LJIC letter to stakeholders
  • HJ31-1: require data collection
    • National model language
    • Florida data collection bill (SB 1392)
      • SB 1392 summary
  • HJ31-2: data collection study/recommendations
    • Arizona data study bill (HB 2166)
  • HJ31-3: data integration/research database
    • Idaho data integration bill (HB 432)
    • HB 432 explanation

January 2022 Materials

• Update to Section D Interim Budget Committee on data work -- Legislative Finance Division and Legislative Services Division (LSD) staff
• Staff paper: Prior Strategic Planning Efforts Related to Criminal Justice System Data -- LSD
• Draft/Sample Bills
  • HJ31-1 -- model legislation (Florida model)
  • Arizona data study bill (HB 2166)
  • Idaho data integration bill (HB 432)
    • HB 432 explanation
• Table of data repositories in other states -- Ohio Sentencing Commission
• List of research questions from legislators -- LSD
• List of follow up information from LJIC's October 2021 meeting

October 2021 Materials

• Presentation slides: Justice Counts -- CSG Justice Center staff
• Presentation slides -- Measures for Justice
• Board of Crime Control/SAC Overview -- Board staff
• Data displays from Montana agencies
  • Department of Corrections
  • Board of Crime Control
• Number of cases filed in District Court per year -- Yellowstone County

October 2021 Additional Information

• Panel responses on HB 693 (2021) reports -- January 2022
• Americans for Prosperity
  • Data-Informed Justice Reforms and State Savings
• CSG Justice Center
  • JRI savings update
• Measures for Justice
  • Model Legislation
  • Florida Criminal Justice Data Transparency Standard Operating Procedure
  • Capabilities a Data Aggregator and Repository Agency Should Have
• National Conference of State Legislatures
  • ABCs of Evidence-Informed Policymaking
  • Center for Results-Driven Government
  • Data Analysis is Driving Justice Reforms
• Montana Department of Corrections
  • Technical Assistance Report: Montana Criminal Justice Information Sharing Strategic Assessment -- June 2011
  • Montana Integrated Justice Information Sharing charter
  • Montana Integrated Justice Information Sharing Strategic Plan DRAFT -- October 2012
• Slides: Community Corrections in Montana -- presentation to the Criminal Justice Oversight Council
• Board of Crime Control Grant Funding Dashboard
  • Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) Projects funding, 2011-2020
• Arizona Data Repository survey form