Senate Bill 2784 Summary

• Establishes a certification process for drug courts requiring evidence-based practices, risk and needs assessments, and monthly data reporting to the Administrative Office of Courts.

• Raises property crime thresholds from $500 to $1,000 for misdemeanor/felony classifications across larceny, shoplifting, malicious mischief, and embezzlement offenses; increases corresponding penalties.

• Creates crimes of violence definition (Section 97-3-2) listing specific violent felonies; restricts parole eligibility for crimes of violence to offenders 60+ years old who have served 10+ years, with exceptions for habitual offenders and sex offenders.

• Implements parole and probation reforms including mandatory case planning, earned discharge credits for compliance, graduated sanctions for technical violations, and operation of technical violation centers for revocation hearings.

• Establishes Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force to monitor sentencing reform implementation, evaluate recidivism, and provide annual reports to the Legislature; requires court clerks to report criminal case data electronically to the Administrative Office of Courts.