CORE Justice Network
The CORE Justice Network is a group of county officials working to drive change in the criminal legal system. The cohort focuses on innovative, county-led approaches to equity, exploring policies, practices and programs with measurable impact on justice-involved populations.
This work is funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. This network will continue through Spring 2025.
About the Network
Together CORE Network members learn about the policies, practices and programs that can be used to identify and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal legal system. They receive monthly research-based emails, take part in quarterly calls with guest speakers and participate in in-person peer exchanges.
- Hon. Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, Neb.
- Hon. Sharon Weston Broome, East Baton Rouge Parish, La.
- Hon. Charlie Cavell, Oakland County, Mich.
- Hon. Erica Crawley, Franklin County, Ohio
- Hon. Latifah Faisal, Story County, Iowa
- Hon. Tara Gaston, Saratoga County, N.Y.
- Hon. John Idleburg, Lake County, Ill.
- Hon. Marilyn Kirkpatrick, Clark County, Nev.
- Hon. Lloyd LaCroix, Pennington County, S.D.
- Hon. Donna Miller, Cook County, Ill.
- Hon. Mary Beth Murphy, Guilford County, N.C.
- Hon. Dana Pellebon, Dane County, Wis.
- Hon. Alana Sanders, Newton County, Ga.
- Hon. Lori Stegmann, Multnomah County, Ore.
- Hon. Vivian Thomas, Henry County, Ga.
County Countdown – June 30, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features the Senate reconciliation debate, transparency on sanctuary designations and more.
DHS releases list identifying sanctuary jurisdictions; includes nearly 400 counties
NACo, along with the National League of Cities, and the International Municipal Lawyers Association, requested additional clarification on the methodology used to create the list, and noted concerns around the legal challenges that localities face when complying with ICE detainers. As of this time, NACo has yet to hear of a county receiving a formal notification that they were included on the list.
U.S. House of Representatives introduces legislation to expand Medicaid coverage for behavioral health treatment facilities
On June 20, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Increasing Behavioral Health Treatment Act in the U.S. House of Representative. This bill aims to improve access to behavioral health care nationwide by removing long-standing Medicaid funding restrictions for behavioral health treatment in certain facilities, providing new flexibility for states and counties to meet growing behavioral health needs.
NACo Legal Advocacy: City of Buffalo et al. v. Kia/Hyundai
The question at hand in City of Seattle et al. v. Kia/Hyundai is whether or not the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard preempts state tort claims brought forth by local governments alleging that Kia and Hyundai’s failure to install “reasonable” anti-theft technology constitutes negligence and public nuisance.
NACo Legal Advocacy: Perttu v. Richards
Perttu v. Richards has implications on the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) and could increase the amount of Section 1983 inmate-initiated cases against county jails that reach federal court, ultimately resulting in counties having to expend resources on frivolous lawsuits.
Ramsey County, Minn. cuts juvenile justice admissions with assessment tool
The county's Risk Assessment Index focuses on the critical window between arrest and first court appearance.
Program Contact
