Idaho Gov. Appoints Criminal Justice Commission Members

Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne today announced the members of the recently created Criminal Justice Commission.

Governor Kempthorne signed an Executive Order establishing the Commission to help solve critical problems within the state's criminal justice system. In particular, the Commission will focus its attention on several key areas, including:

• Continued growth in our incarcerated offender population;
• Vigilantly maintaining our fight against the plague of methamphetamine abuse, manufacturing and trafficking;
• And creating partnerships and collaborative efforts to protect our communities against gang activity.

"We have taken a number of steps to address our growing prison population, but it's time we take a good, hard look at offenders entering and returning to the system," Kempthorne said. "This commission will be effective in researching the best practices of other states and developing innovative solutions in order to operate our criminal justice system in a manner that is both pragmatic and cost-effective."

"The members I have appointed represent a wide array of interests and backgrounds. Their individual experience and collective knowledge will serve us well as we develop a strategy to improve our state's criminal justice system."

Governor Kempthorne amended his original Executive Order to include two additional legislators -- one from the State Senate and one from the House of Representatives. The 22 members are:

• Sen. Denton Darrington, Chair of the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee
• Sen. Mike Burkett, Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee
• Rep. Debbie Field, Chair of the House Judiciary, Rules & Administration Committee
• Rep. Donna Boe, Ranking Minority Member of the House Judiciary, Rules & Administration Committee
• Tom Beauclair, Director of the Idaho Department of Correction
• Col. Dan Charboneau, Director of the Idaho State Police
• Brent Reinke, Director of the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections
• Olivia Craven, Executive Director of the Commission of Pardons and Parole
• Joe Brunson, Deputy Director, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
• Molly Huskey, State Appellate Public Defender
• Justice Daniel Eismann, Idaho Supreme Court
• Judge Sergio Gutierrez, Idaho Court of Appeals
• Judge Randy, Smith District Court, Bannock County
• Judge John Stegner, District Court, Latah County
• Grant Loebs, Prosecuting Attorney's Association, Twin Falls County
• Elaine Savage, Idaho Sheriffs Association, Bonner County Sheriff
• Dan Hall, Idaho Chiefs of Police Association, Jerome Police Chief
• Steve Bywater, Office of the Attorney General
• Sylvia Rel, Blain Public Member (Boise)
• Dale Shepherd, Public Member (Eagle), Retired DEA
• John Southworth, Public Member (Boise), Southworth & Associates
• Megan Ronk, Office of the Governor.