Criminal Justice Reform

NCJA’s Criminal Justice Executive Leadership Academy NCJA’s Criminal Justice Executive Leadership Academy is designed to provide State Administering Agency (SAA) and other criminal justice agency leaders and senior staff with the skills necessary to lead effectively, to enhance their capacity as administrators and to position their agency to address emerging justice system challenges.

NCCJD was approached by Soros Fellow Jarred Williams to serve as his host agency. His project focuses on criminal justice reform via prison closures and increased community supports.

NCCJD staff reviewed Arlington Police Department's Mental Health Update training to ensure people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as autism, were included in the training. As a result, the title of the training changed from “Mental Health” update training to “Mental Health/Mental Illness and IDD training.

NCCJD staff facilitated an in-person focus group meeting with Fort Worth Police Department with support from DOJ's National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice. The purpose of this focus group/meeting is to examine potential partnerships and needs related to mental health and disabilities (specifically looking at Mental Illness and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities) in Fort Worth and is related to the National Initiative.