Committee seeks stronger coordination on victim notification after DOC pulled dedicated task-force staff
Summary
Members said a DOC staffer who served as the task force's dedicated point person was removed without notice; the committee asked to reconvene stakeholders, clarify statutory notification duties, and have DOC explain internal decision-making and language-access tools.
During the Jan. 15 meeting, committee members raised unresolved concerns about the victim-notification task force and DOC coordination.
Speaker 2 said the task force—including state's attorneys and law enforcement—had been working toward preliminary agreements, but that DOC later removed a dedicated staff person without notifying other task-force members. Members said they received emails from state's attorneys and others expressing frustration and urged the committee to require DOC to explain the change and restore coordinated work.
Speaker 2 suggested compiling the statutes that require specific notifications for DOC and asked staff (Ally was mentioned as the person who would send the statutory list) to provide that statutory list as a starting point. Members recommended meeting with Jennifer (named in the meeting) and DOC staff to get an overview of the task force's work and to press for a common database or improved data sharing across the groups involved.
The committee also discussed difficult testimony delivered the previous day (described as "tough testimony") about interpretation services and other contract issues. Members asked whether DOC could make an exception for language-interpretation technology or otherwise improve access to services. The committee directed staff to schedule DOC to return and to bring the relevant statutes and a clear description of how DOC makes the decisions at issue.
No formal action was taken on Jan. 15; members agreed to pursue follow-up meetings with DOC, Jennifer and relevant state's attorneys to restore task-force coordination and to compile statutory reporting requirements.
