Sedona AZ – Yavapai County Supervisor Jack R. Smith is honored to announce his invitation to work with stakeholders at the White House Criminal Justice Reform Strategy Session followed by the 2019 Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act Celebration on April 1, 2019 to be held at The White House, Washington D.C.

The Criminal Justice Reform Session will consist of remarks from administration officials and working sessions focused on the next steps of criminal justice reform.

The working session topics are as follows: • Innovations in Reentry: Discussing data driven programs with proven results • A Conversation on Women’s Issues: How prison reform can improve the lives of incarcerated women • Prioritizing Future Legislative Changes: Discussion on priorities for future legislative action • Obstacles to Successful Reentry: Discussion on how to identify and overcome the many obstacles to successful reintegration • Next Steps with Clemency: How to improve and streamline the clemency process • Second Chance Hiring: How to encourage the private sector to expand opportunities for the formerly incarcerated • Modernizing Prison Services: How services from healthcare, information technology and education can be modernized to support reform efforts and reduce recidivism.

Supervisor Smith stated, “I am proud to represent Yavapai County on a National level and continue to build strong relationships that are essential to our communities’ strength. I will continue to work to ensure our community is put first.”

Supervisor Smith is a sitting member on Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision State Council, which provides oversight on the transfer of offenders across state lines in a way that promotes effective supervision strategies consistent with public safety, offender accountability, and victims’ rights. Supervisor Smith works closely with the Yavapai County Sheriff, who is a leader in finding ways to reduce recidivism in our jails and law makers to promote programing that will reduce recidivism and decriminalize mental illness.

As Supervisor Smith notes, the reduction in recidivism saves the taxpayer, when people who are mentally ill receive the treatment they need, rather than being put into the criminal justice system. There is a need for good rehabilitative programs and to address the incarceration rate in our County and throughout our nation.

Supervisor Smith also serves as the Legislative Policy Advisor, Second Vice President of the County Supervisors Association, and National Association of Counties Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee and feels this is important work to focus on in an effort to reduce recidivism, improve individual lives, and promote a safer community at all levels of government.

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