Creating a taskforce to study veterans in the criminal justice system.

A Local Law in relation to creating a taskforce to study veterans in the criminal justice system

This bill would establish a task force to study the issues confronting veterans involved in the criminal justice system, and issue a report with recommendations on how to limit the involvement of veterans in the criminal justice system, assist veterans transitioning out of the criminal justice system, expand available legal services for veterans, and other recommendations as the task force determines appropriate. The task force would consist of the Mayor’s Office of Veterans’ Affairs, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the Department of Correction, the Department of Probation, the Police Department, and two appointees each by the Mayor and Speaker of the Council. Additionally, the bill would require the task force to make a good faith effort to procure certain information regarding veterans in the city’s criminal courts, and would require the Department of Correction to provide certain information on incarcerated veterans in the city to the task force for inclusion in the report. The task force would be required to issue the report, including recommendations, no later than July 1, 2016.