2017 -- H 5342

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LC001196

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY RESTORATIVE

PRACTICES/RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Barros, Maldonado, Tobon, Cunha, and Shanley

     Date Introduced: February 02, 2017

     Referred To: House Judiciary

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     WHEREAS, Growing bodies of national and international research show that using

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punishment as the response to misbehavior, minor or serious, has long-term negative effects on

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the victim, offender and their community; and

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     WHEREAS, Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice (RP/RJ) have been shown to

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be highly effective at building relationships, managing conflict and repairing harm; and

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     WHEREAS, By investing in strong, healthy families, schools and communities, RJ/RP

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both reduces social services costs and improves the quality of the workforce; and

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     WHEREAS, The practices lower the need to use adversarial, expensive judicial systems

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by focusing resources on preventative efforts that take place in the community itself, where the

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problem(s) first began to take root; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of seventeen (17) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island

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House of Representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by

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the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be a member of a local Police Department, to be

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appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the Superintendent of the Rhode Island State

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Police, or designee; one of whom shall be a member of the Rhode Island Youth Diversionary

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Program (YDP), to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a member of the staff of

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the Department of Children, Youth and Families/Juvenile Correctional Services, with training in

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RP/RJ, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a mental health advocate, to be

 

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appointed by the speaker; one of whom shall be a member of Family Services of Rhode Island, to

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be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the Director of RI ACLU, or designee; one of

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whom shall be the President of the Providence NAACP, or designee; one of whom shall be the

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Director of the Latino Policy Institute, or designee; one of whom shall be the Policy Director of

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HousingWorks RI, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the National

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Conference on Community Justice, or designee; one of whom shall be a doctor specializing in

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Adolescent Medicine, to be appointed by the Speaker; one of whom shall be the Director of the

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Youth Restoration Project, or designees, and one of whom shall be a member with restorative

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experience, to be appointed by the Speaker.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party

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which is entitled to the appointment, consents to the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and provide

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recommendations to:

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     1. Raise awareness in the Legislature, with local organizations, and in the general public

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about the power of Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice;

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     2. Raise the visibility of RP/RJ and map out what restorative strategies would benefit the

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state, and why;

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     3. Monetize both the costs of starting up restorative strategies as well as the potential

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savings; and

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     4. Make recommendations to fully utilize existing restorative efforts and build

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collaborations, in order to reduce justice recidivism and other recurring juvenile behavioral

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problems.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

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for said commission; and be it further

 

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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House of Representatives no later than February 7, 2018, and said commission shall expire on

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April 7, 2018.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY RESTORATIVE

PRACTICES/RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

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     This resolution would create a seventeen (17) member special legislative study

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commission whose purpose it would be to study and make recommendations on restorative

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practices/restorative justice in the state, and who would report back to the House no later than

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February 7, 2018, and whose life would expire on April 7, 2018.

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