Agenda - 10-06-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

23 1 • The Pretrial Services and Drug Court Programs are currently contracted out to two different 2 vendors. 3 • The Programs represent a significant investment by the County in alternatives to 4 incarceration and are viewed as important tools to help reduce population pressure in the jail, 5 failures to appear in court, and recidivism. 6 • Supporters of the current Pretrial Services model endorse the independence of the program, 7 adherence to best practices, efficiency, and long standing relationships with treatment providers 8 and program participants. 9 • Stakeholders generally agree, however, that the programs would benefit from internalization. 10 An internalized model could improve stability and a sense of permanency, increase 11 accountability by focusing on day to day service delivery, foster greater collaboration with other 12 County services like mental health and employment, provide access to needed information 13 technology resources, and improve the functionality of office space. 14 • Stakeholders who have the responsibility of defending the accused generally oppose 15 organizationally aligning the Pretrial program with the Sheriff's Office. These stakeholders note 16 concerns about the perceived independence of the program and the treatment of information by 17 employees of the Sheriff's Office. These concerns may limit referrals and participation in the 18 program. 19 • Stakeholders expressed less concern about the organizational placement of the Drug 20 Court Program but recognize the need for collaboration. 21 • National standards and best practices for pretrial services do not preclude organizational 22 alignment with the Sheriff's Office, but they do stress the need for the Pretrial program to be 23 perceived as independent from the other actors in the criminal justice system. These standards 24 also note the importance of information technology in successful operations and encourage 25 oversight by an interdisciplinary advisory board. 26 • A comparative analysis of pretrial programs in North Carolina reveals that the most common 27 organizational structure is an internalized program reporting to the County Manager. This model 28 is more common among counties with a population of 100,000 or more. 29 • Best practices for drug court emphasize a non-adversarial approach to providing the service 30 and close collaboration among the decision makers and advocates working in the system. 31 Based on stakeholder input, consideration, and additional research, the Memorandum 32 recommends the following next steps: 33 • Internalize the Pretrial Services and Drug Court Programs under the direction of the County 34 Manager. 35 • Recruit and hire a Criminal Justice Resource Manager to lead the new division and hire 36 authorized staff. 37 • Begin procurement of appropriate information technology resources for case management. 38 • Remodel County office space in the courthouse for staff offices and client services. 39 • Create an interdisciplinary advisory board to provide policy guidance, set priorities, and 40 establish performance goals. 41 • Develop performance measures to promote accountability and monitor performance. 42 • Plan space in the new jail facility to allow for risk assessment, screening, and intervention 43 planning. 44 Chair McKee acknowledged the work done on this matter by Commissioners Pelissier 45 and Jacobs. He also thanked the Sheriff and his department for his cooperation. 46 Sheriff Blackwood praised Travis Myren for his prompt and thorough work on this 47 issue. He expressed full cooperation with all involved stakeholders. 48 Commissioner Pelissier said the Jail Alternatives Work Group also expressed thanks 49 for the process of this discussion, and looks forward to moving forward. She said the Jail