The Northern Marianas Commonwealth Council for the Improvement of the Criminal Justice System, also known as the “Supervisory Council” was created through an Executive Order # 16 signed by Governor Carlos S. Camacho on March 28, 1980. Subsequently, the Northern Marianas Criminal Justice Planning Agency (CJPA) was established as the staff of the Supervisory Council, to function in a manner consistent with the Constitution and Laws of the Commonwealth and tasked to comply with the Federal Omnibus Crime Control and Safety Street Act of 1968, as amended, and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended and other related Federal Laws.

Currently, the Supervisory Council is compromised of nine (9) members, four (4) ex-officio and five (5) citizen members, who are all appointed by the Governor. (Executive Order # 16: 2006-005). In addition, the Executive Order further ordered the status of the Northern Marianas State Advisory Group (SAG), also known as the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) which is compromised of sixteen (16) members who are also appointed by the Governor.

Established under Executive Order # 16, with an Executive Director appointed by the Governor, the Criminal Justice Planning Agency is currently the State Administering Agency (SAA) for various federal programs through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, and in the past the administering agency for the PIRAAP program through the U.S. Department of the Interior.