Justice Web

Problem

The historical lack of communication and information sharing between municipal courts in Montgomery County and the jail led to higher prison costs and duplicative efforts to track down information. This lack of coordination also hindered the social service system providers such as Children Services, Child Support Enforcement, and the tracking of Child Daycare Providers. 

Solution

County Commissioner Dan Foley helped create JusticeWeb in 2005, a multi-county comprehensive criminal justice information system designed to improve mission critical data support for all levels of the justice system. Since its inception, JusticeWeb has saved taxpayer dollars by allowing the county to better manage its jail population and lower costs, and provide law enforcement with real-time data to make the community safer. JusticeWeb continues to grow and evolve as additional data is obtained and new technology develops. Most recently a mobile application was developed for use on most smartphones. 

The Santa Cruz Pact

Problem

Santa Cruz has long grappled with persistent drug and alcohol abuse-fueled petty crimes in its downtown area. The community’s sense of safety and economic prosperity are adversely impacted by this cycle of recidivism and many in Santa Cruz consider the local criminal justice system to be a revolving door for low-level criminals.

Solution

The City and County of Santa Cruz have joined forces to reduce recidivism among the community’s most chronic low level offenders. County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty helped launch PACT in April 2014, an innovative multi-agency and multi-disciplinary team, working collectively to provide street outreach, case management and treatment in exchange for strict court accountability. This adaptive program offers wraparound services to chronic offenders, on a voluntary basis, in exchange for strict accountability for their actions. The PACT program has already seen evidence of success with recidivism rates for PACT-intervened clients greatly reduced in the first twelve months of the program.

The POST Act: Ensuring Greater Public Oversight of Police Surveillance Technology

Problem

Since 2001, there has been a massive expansion in the use of technology to conduct domestic surveillance. Federal grants have enabled local governments nationwide to purchase these technologies, which are often acquired and used in secret. This creates a range of problems for individuals, communities, and the police, and will only increase as the Trump administration seeks to expand the use of military-grade police gear and surveillance. Over-reliance on secret surveillance technology can exacerbate distrust between communities and police. Secret technologies also often have secret methods of data storage. In an era of hacks and data breaches, the public deserves an understanding of how governments will safeguard sensitive data gathered by surveillance. 

Solution

The Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology (POST) Act would make NYC a leader in public engagement, police accountability, and data security by requiring NYPD to disclose certain details about its surveillance tools, and review public comments, before using new technologies. This first-ever system of public oversight for NYPD’s surveillance tools would help the public understand how these tools may impact their privacy, and whether New York City — a sanctuary city — is sharing sensitive data gathered by surveillance with the federal government. In the absence of public oversight, police operate in a bubble, so public input can also allow them to uncover blind spots in their approach.

Second Chance Incentive

Problem

Columbus has a generally low unemployment rate, hovering right around four percent. But in some neighborhoods, unemployment rates exceeds 20 percent. Neighborhoods that are persistently underemployed often struggle with resulting symptoms of poverty. Many unemployed residents are employable but overlooked due to having served time in prison, and the City of Columbus’s retraining program for restored citizens and other reentry programs report that their largest limiting factor is the lack of available jobs to plug into. This shows us we can’t solve the problem without private sector engagement. 

Solution

To encourage the private sector’s investment in more job opportunities for a set of residents with a lot to give, we have added the hiring of disadvantaged workers, such as restored citizens, to the factors considered during the pre-qualification process for companies who bid on city construction contracts. Advancing opportunities for those who otherwise struggle to find a job is a win-win proposition: It helps businesses tap into an available talent pool, and it helps more residents support their families and build up our neighborhoods.

Rapid Assessment and Support Services Diversion (RASS)

Problem

Following the national trend, Douglas County, Kansas has experienced an explosion in its female jail population. Most incarcerated females are being held for misdemeanor or drug offenses, with a significant portion of the population in-custody because of failure on pre-trial release or probation.

Diversion has long been used to divert low level offenders away from the criminal justice system. Historically, any history of prior offenses has barred participation in standard diversion programs. Since standard diversion programs are designed to address low level offenders, support services such as drug treatment, employment assistance and housing stabilization are not addressed. 

Solution

The District Attorney’s Office is developing a new pre-trial, prosecutor-led diversion program aimed at nonviolent repeat female offenders that will allow for quick release of the female to meaningful monitoring program with support services aimed at addressing substance abuse, mental health, housing and employment, resulting in restoration of their social status. The goal of the program is to rapidly divert the defendant from the jail to a system that addresses underlying issues contributing to her criminal behavior. If she successfully completes the support program, pending charges are dismissed with prejudice. We would start with a data-driven review of the target population and then engage local stakeholders to create a map of available resources to support them.

Veterans Court

Problem

Too many veterans return home with health, substance abuse and/or psychosocial problems, making it difficult to re-enter the civilian population. A lack of jobs, along with family and housing issues, also takes its toll. When these veterans run afoul of the criminal justice system, it’s important for their unique circumstances to be understood and addressed.

Solution

Palm Beach County created a Veterans Court, partnering with federal, state and local agencies, to solve the participants’ underlying health, substance abuse and psychological problems. Honorably discharged veterans who commit certain misdemeanor and felony crimes are eligible upon the consent of the victims. Veterans Court is a non-adversarial atmosphere where a judge, prosecutor and public defender – all veterans themselves – work together to break the cycle of substance abuse and criminal behavior, and address mental and physical health issues. Perhaps most importantly, each veteran in the program is assigned a mentor — a fellow veteran usually from the same branch of service — to be there every step of the way. Working together, nearly all veterans successfully complete the program and return to a law-abiding life. Meanwhile, costs of pretrial incarceration have been reduced by 73%.

Parole Hearings Expedited

Problem

Parole hearings are often delayed, which can significantly impact someone’s life. My bill was inspired in part by the story of Mr. Robert Polk, who was on parole when a false charge was lodged against him. Despite the DA dismissing the charges quickly, Mr. Polk was immediately arrested and re-incarcerated for parole violation, where he had to wait more than a year for a parole hearing.         

Solution

My bill provides expedited review by the board of parole, when requested by a judge or DA, to address cases when someone has been falsely accused of (and subsequently reincarnated) for a parole violation. Since the bill became law in April, we have become aware of at least one other case that warrants expedited review. Even just one case of an individual languishing in jail or prison when they are innocent necessitates the passage of this new law. We are excited at the prospect of folks being able to get out of jail or prison, allowing them to return to society and allowing our corrections system to become further unburdened. We also believe that this is a policy that could be widely adapted across the country.

Certificate of Employability Unlinking

Problem

Previously, the law stated that an ex-offender could petition for their certificate of employability, which is available to ex-offenders who committed non-violent crimes and can help them land a job, only if they were in the process of restoring their rights of citizenship, which is a lengthy process in its own right. This made it difficult for ex-offenders to get a job and reenter the workforce.

Solution

My bill unlinks the certificate of employability process from the restoration of citizenship to make it easier for ex-offenders to apply for the certificate and reentering the workforce.

Hardship Driver’s License for Probationers/Parolees

Problem

When a person is on probation or parole, very rarely are they current on the court fines, fees, and restitution they must pay as part of their reparations for the crimes they committed. Just as frequently, courts suspend the probationers’ and parolees’ driver’s licenses until the fines, fees, and restitution are paid in full. The problem, particularly in rural areas, is that if you do not have a driver’s license, then you have no means of transportation to travel to and from work or school. Without transportation, you cannot maintain a job. If you cannot maintain employment, then you certainly cannot pay your debt to society, nor can you support yourself or your family, at least through legal means. Crime frequently becomes the only option left.

Solution

A hardship license program will provide more crime victims with restitution, reduce recidivism, and spur employment and economic activity. The program would allow probationers and parolees who have not committed driving related offenses but who have had their driver’s licenses suspended for failure to pay fines, fees, or restitution, to have a restricted license, allowing them to drive to work and school. This gives them the legal means to travel to and from the job they have that they are using to pay off their fines, fees, and restitution, or to and from the education or training that will put them in a position to succeed in the future, or both. Their driver’s licenses remain restricted for these purposes until the fines, fees, and restitution are paid in full.

Helping Understand Barriers (HUB) Prosecutor Diversion Program

 

Problem

Many people commit non-violent crimes as a means of survival. Social determinants barriers, including unemployment and lack of food, may result in substance use, criminal activity, or other negative behaviors. These individuals often spend months to years cycling through the criminal justice system before they can or are able to make a change. Research supports we need to begin to view the criminal justice system through a public health lens to address recidivism. Our goal is to prevent crime through this front-end fulfillment of social services’ needs.

Solution

We perform an internal review of the cases to determine eligibility for the program. In court, a trained community health worker from a third party provider administers a 36 question screening tool about social determinants barriers and provides linkage to resources to address needs. Resources can include anything from employment prospects, treatment, transportation, or food access. This confidential information is stored in a HIPAA compliant database. The community health worker keeps the defendant on the health worker’s caseload throughout the diversion process to assist with any outstanding issues. Upon successful completion of the program, our prosecutors ask the court to dismiss the criminal case and agree to having the case sealed.

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