City Council's newly established Committee on Criminal Justice Reform is holding its first panel today.

The meeting comes on the heels of a $3.5 million grant from MacArthur Foundation that is meant to help Philly reduce its overcrowded prison population by 34 percent over the next three years.

Committee members will give an overview of their mission, with an emphasis on fiscal responsibility, public safety, and being smart on crime.

Follow along with AL DIA's live coverage here, and expect a full report later on in the day.

.@PHLCouncil committee on crim justice is holding 1st panel. The city just got a $3.5M grant to uncrowd its prisons. pic.twitter.com/ilCjCtRNIT

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) April 15, 2016

John Hollway of UPenn law: Goal is to make an incredibly complex system move towards a common goal: smaller prisons. pic.twitter.com/egq9CxmOhH

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) April 15, 2016

“MacArthur grant is proof that incarceration is a pretty blunt instrument to change people’s behavior," Hollway says.

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) April 15, 2016

Data-sharing will be critical to make MacArthur Grant goals a reality — reduce prison population by 34 percent in next three years.

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) April 15, 2016

Kevin Bethel, former dep commish: Cops arrested 1600 kids at school in 2014. New strategy reduced it to ~700 last yr, ~400 expected this yr.

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) April 15, 2016

Why do we incarcerate parole violators? Richard Podguski, PA Board of Probation/Parole, says board follows the book: pic.twitter.com/PERnpi3y0Q

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) April 15, 2016

Huge cost: 60% of Philly's jail population is awaiting trial, i.e. presumed innocent. Average stay? 95 days, four times the nat'l avg.

— Max M. Marin (@MaxMMarin) April 15, 2016