Section 156. There shall be within the executive office of public safety, a committee on criminal justice, hereinafter called the committee, to consist of the attorney general who shall be chairman, the district attorneys of the several districts, the secretary of the executive office of public safety, the chairman of the parole board, the commissioner of correction, the commissioner of probation, the colonel of state police, the commissioner of youth services, the police commissioner of the city of Boston, the executive director of the municipal police training committee, and twenty-three persons to be appointed to one-year terms by the governor to consist of the following: one designee of the chief justice of the supreme judicial court or the appeals court, one designee of the administrative justice for each of; the superior court department, the district court department and the Boston municipal court department, one member of the house of representatives, one member of the senate, two chief executive officers of cities at least one of whom shall represent a city with a population of more than one hundred thousand persons, one selectman and four members of a city or town police department; provided, however, that not more than two of such four members shall be chiefs of police, one county sheriff, one representative of the committee for public counsel services, one representative of the judicial council, one representative of a local model cities program and three individuals knowledgeable and experienced in the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the rehabilitation of delinquent youths; provided, however, that at least two of such individuals shall not be employees of the commonwealth and shall be representative of community-based delinquency programs, and four other individuals none of whom shall be officers or employees of the commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof; provided, however, that at least two of said individuals shall be residents of an area in the commonwealth which has high incidence of crime. Upon the expiration of the term of an appointive member, he shall serve until the qualification of his successor, who shall be appointed in like manner. Any vacancy among appointive positions on the committee due to causes other than the expiration of a term shall be filled for the remainder of the term by the governor.

The committee shall meet at least four times during the year and may meet at other times at the call of the chairman. The chairman shall determine the place for holding each meeting and shall send notice of any meeting to the executive director and to all committee members. A majority of the members then serving shall constitute a quorum. The members of the committee shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and necessarily incurred as committee members.

The committee shall advise the governor on all phases of the adult and juvenile systems of law enforcement and criminal justice in the commonwealth; develop and revise a comprehensive law enforcement and criminal justice plan; study the problems and needs of and set priorities for improvements in response to adult and juvenile crime at state, regional, county, and local levels; design and conduct programs to reduce crime, to rehabilitate offenders, to increase the effectiveness of law enforcement, and to prevent or reduce juvenile delinquency. Said committee shall conduct research, collect statistics and other data, and encourage and facilitate the dissemination of law enforcement and criminal justice information; provide technical assistance related to law enforcement and criminal justice to state agencies, regions, units of general local government and private agencies; make grants and administer grant programs, including the development of appropriate procedures for the review of grant applications and the supervision, evaluation, and auditing of expenditures of projects funded by the committee, pursuant to the terms and conditions of Title I, Parts B, C, & E of the federal Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title I of the federal Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Control Act of 1968; and shall encourage the development of effective coordination among the law enforcement agencies of the commonwealth and with those of other states; and shall encourage the effective training of rape prevention and prosecution units in the cities and towns of the commonwealth.

The committee shall approve procedures for the review, and approval or disapproval of applications to the committee for funding authorized pursuant to the provisions of this section, and shall establish substantive guidelines, standards and criteria determining eligibility for the distribution of funds over which the committee has control.

The committee shall establish technical advisory committees in such areas of law enforcement and criminal justice as the committee deems necessary, to provide initial review of applications to the committee for funding and to perform other advisory functions. Any said advisory committee shall consist primarily of individuals with significant knowledge and experience in the particular area of concern. Technical advisory committee members shall serve without compensation. Members shall be appointed by the chairman of the committee for one-year terms.

The committee may enter into contracts and agreements with, and accept gifts, grants, contributions, and bequests of funds from any department, agency or subdivision of federal, county, or municipal government and any individual, foundation, corporation, association, or public authority for the purpose of providing or receiving services, facilities, or staff assistance in connection with its work. Such funds shall be deposited with the state treasurer and may be expended by the committee in accordance with the conditions of the gift, grant, contribution, or bequest, without specific appropriation. The committee may expend for services and other expenses any amounts that the general court may appropriate therefor.