HomeMy WebLinkAbout20173502.tiffPresent:
WELD COUNTY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Centennial Center, 3rd Floor, Conference Rooms A & B
915 10th Street, Greeley
Commissioner Julie Cozad, Judge Julie Hoskins, Robb Miller, Roger
Ainsworth, Rick Dill, Dianna Campbell, Hugo Sanchez, Jim Merson,
Dionne Sund, Keith Coleman, Ruby Jaime -Soto, Doug Erler, Kamie
Cooley, Kyle Ward, Todd Spanier and Kally Enright
Judge Hoskins called the meeting to order at 12:05 p.m.
1. Introduction of attendees
2. Approval of April 11, 2017 meeting minutes
• The minutes were accepted with no changes. Robb Miller moved to approve, Julie
Cozad seconded, the motion passed unanimously.
3. Doug moved to approve that an item be added to the Agenda, no objections, motion
approved.
• All Weld Law Enforcement Reported Crime and Arrest Data - Rick Dill presented
his report of data he compiled from all Weld County law enforcement agencies. He
says the data compiled is best when agencies collect and report data individually.
He highlighted that juvenile arrests have trended downward since 2008. The
number of reported crimes (juvenile and adult) has shown an uptick with a 15.1%
increase from 2015 to 2016. The number of adult arrests did not show overall
correlations, but Rick reminded the group to recognize that Weld County is growing
rapidly, causing some of the increase in crime and arrest data. He is concerned with
the increase in reported crimes and adult arrests in Weld County. Jim Merson from
the PD's Office asked if Weld County's data was like those of other similarly sized
county's and Rick was unsure. Julie Cozad asked if juvenile programming in Weld
County had a correlation to the decrease in juvenile arrests. The group concurred,
believing this could be a factor for the downward trend.
4. Consider value of criminal justice coordination, planning and support to the CJAC and
Weld County - Todd Spanier and Kally Enright, Arapahoe County
• Doug introduced Todd and Kally and overall, the idea of Weld County hiring a
Criminal Justice Coordinator function. In Arapahoe County, Kally and Todd
perform this function. Doug advised the CJAC that as part of his department's 2018
budget setting materials, he included a request to the Commissioners to create this
function. To help educate the CJAC on what a criminal justice coordinator can do,
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he invited Kally and Todd to discuss their responsibilities. Todd Spanier presented
that in Arapahoe County, their Justice Coordinating Committee has four (4)
working sub -committees: Crime Prevention, Governance and Communication,
Efficiency of the Justice System and Behavioral Health. He and Kally provide staff
support to their Justice Coordinating Committee and their tasks are to analyze
criminal justice problems, realize coordination and cooperation, promote effective
allocation of resources, design and implement innovative programs and research
and recommend evidence -based practices. Kally also reported that bringing
stakeholders together to identify the efficiency of subcommittees, which includes
system mapping, pretrial working groups and business process improvement
projects, has proven to be successful. Kally said the method of mapping the
criminal justice system helps identify where systems need improvement. They also
noted that they often work on and with Community Corrections, Pretrial Services
and Useful Public Services issues. The other active subcommittee is the Behavioral
Health. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training, mental health first aid for frontline
county employees, Medicaid applications on reentry, "frequent fliers" research,
their new navigator program to provide continuity of care, housing and tri-county
health opioid crime maps were all implemented in their area and with their data and
coordination assistance. They are also responsible for data sharing and analysis,
which includes analyzing return to jail rates, health care usage, racial disparities,
jail reports, court date notification programs, bond schedule research, community
corrections evidence -based decision making tools and various program evaluations.
Some examples of work success; the Arapahoe County Commissioners recently
approved one full time employee to be a Pretrial Services Navigator, which assists
defendants with housing placement, and diversion/wellness services for eligible
defendants on pretrial supervision, with the goal of avoiding jailable sentences.
Julie Cozad asked what type of Wellness Courts are available in Arapahoe County.
Kally reported a problem -solving court, a mental health court (wellness), and a
recovery court (drug court). For the wellness court, participants must have a
diagnosis for eligibility. They also assisted in the development of their Court Date
Notification Program. A core task for them is collecting and analyzing jail data and
healthcare usage. They are also working on special projects like their Diversion
360 program, 24/7 sobriety pilot program, capital improvement plans, grant -
writing, data -driven justice initiatives and working with NACo. Kally encouraged
Weld County CJAC members to get a sense of what is happening state-wide and
nationally in addition to locally. She noted that at times, lack of resources causes
setbacks for special projects and challenges. Both agree that key considerations for
their positions includes being neutral, and building trust with stakeholders. Julie
Cozad asked if all their Commissioners are involved in their committees. Kally said
two of the commissioners are involved and actively chair subcommittees. Julie
asked if any NACo projects are driven by their Commissioners or by community
members and for suggestions on how to get the ball rolling in Weld County. Todd
said building relationships with all stakeholders is beneficial and the ability to
coordinate subcommittees. Kally said she heard that Doug has been working to
foster a relationship with UNC's criminal justice department (in attendance,
Professor Kyle Ward from UNC) and said she thought this was good. This local
resource is good for Weld County. Good discussion by the CJAC and with no
further questions, Doug thanked Kally and Todd for their presentation. Rick Dill
voiced his support for Weld County to create a similar function. The CJAC
members also voiced support. Doug said he would keep the members informed of
decisions made.
5. Subcommittee Reports
• Sheriff's Office Jail Reports
i. Captain, Roger Ainsworth reported that the number of adults being admitted
to the jail in 2017 continues to trend upward. Currently, the average daily
population is at 752 and 5621 adults were admitted in 2016 vs. 6062 in 2017
(+7.8%). The jail has seen a decrease in municipal court violations;
however, state charges are increasing. Robb Miller asked if that was due to
the change in statute. Roger is unsure. DUI and Civil Emergency
Commitments have both increased from 2016 to 2017. The jail has noticed
that North Range Behavioral Health will not take persons who are over a
certain inebriation limit at Detox so that population (Civil Emergency
Commitments) is now being held at the Weld County Jail until a decrease
to manageable levels. Roger pointed out that bookings to serve jail
sentences decreased from 280 to 211 (-24.6%). Judge, Julie Hoskins
clarified that civil emergencies are defined as a mental health hold or drug
and alcohol hold without criminal charges. Dionne Sund from ICCS, asked
if clients being held are under the influence of alcohol or other substances?
Perhaps most of those being held are under the influence of
methamphetamines and that is why they are not being let out into the
community? Roger reported jail staff monitor inmate's sobriety every 8
hours to see if they are eligible for release. These are folks that will not be
seen at the hospital or detox due to being uncooperative. Jim Merson asked
if the number of summons being issued has increased. He voiced concerns
that traffic cases and DUR's are being arrested and held to be seen on a
bond until the next day. Roger did not have that data. Rick Dill commented
that the report shows that arrests and filings in Weld County have increased
in the last 7 years, 7.8% in 2017, which he feels is not sustainable. Roger
said the jail is staffed for 713 inmates and the current population is 752.
Dionne commented that collaboration with stakeholders is critical and that
coordination with North Range Behavioral Health on emergency holds is a
pressing issue. Todd Spanier generally commented that if able to run a
report showing all inmates being held on a bond for $1,000 or less would
be helpful to identify low risk defendants being held only because of a
monetary amount and how this would help ease jail crowding. Kally also
suggested the CJAC begin to identify goals before requesting outcomes
from different programs.
• Alternative Programs -Work Release/EHM
i. Dianna Campbell, Alternative Programs Director, reported the Work
Release Program is averaging 91 new intakes each month. Of statistics
reviewed, Dianna touched on a few areas. The top charge at intake is
Alcohol -Related Traffic and today's average daily population is 138 clients.
Of the Court Ordered Releases, 69% closed out positively, 6% were
classified as neutral (not eligible for the program or had warrants) and 25%
were regressed. Of the Regressions, 20% were regressed for not following
staff directions, 16% for being out of place assignment, 17% for positive
BA's and 16% for positive UA's. The average number of days completed
in the program prior to regression was, on average, 58 days. For Electronic
Monitoring, they've completed 328 intakes so far, this year. The top charge
at intake is Non -Alcohol Traffic related. Ninety -Three percent of the
intakes reported on the day they were ordered by the Court. The average
daily population is 64. Ninety percent of the clients discharged
successfully, 4% classified as neutral and 7% for negative reasons. On
average, clients are serving 80 days prior to regression. Doug reiterated that
using these alternatives to incarceration programs is available and valuable.
• Pretrial Services
i. Kamie Cooley, Pretrial Services Supervisor, reported on 2017 YTD
statistics for the Pretrial Services program. She reported on the average
year-to-date Public Safety rate of 86%, which means 14% of the
defendants on pretrial supervision had new law enforcement contact
whereas either a Summons issued or arrest occurred. The technical
compliance rate was 87%, which means 13% of the defendants on pretrial
supervision their bond was modified/revoked, most notably for positive
urinalyses, missed urinalyses and/or lost contact. The Court Appearance
rate is 81%, which means 19% of the closed pretrial supervision cases
these defendants did not appear for a court hearing and a warrant was
issued. She noted the program is interviewing for daily Bail Hearings an
average of 297 new arrestees each month (70% of all eligible arrestees)
and providing a Bail Report for bail/bond hearings on those defendants. If
a Bail Report was completed and Pretrial Services recommended a PR
Bond, the Courts agreed with the recommendation 64% of the time. If a
Bail Report was completed and Pretrial Services did not recommend a PR
Bond, the Courts agreed 72% of the time. Jim Merson asked if the
program was tracking those percentages by County vs. District Court. Not
currently, but Kamie said she could try to get this information from the
program data management system. On the supervision side of Pretrial
Services, the program maintained an average daily population of 900
defendants under pretrial supervision, with an average of 232 new
monthly intakes and an average of 249 monthly case closures. Once a
defendant is ordered to pretrial supervision, she said staff track the
defendants assessed Colorado Pretrial Assessment Tool category and risk
score for appropriate supervision (Category 1 being low risk and Category
4 being high risk). Kamie noted that the public safety and court
appearances rates have plateaued a bit, while the PR Bonds being granted
has increased. Dionne asked how many staff were at Pretrial Services.
The program has 7.6 FTE and the Court Date Notification Program
Specialist provides some workload assistance.
6. Roundtable
• Doug Erler congratulated Jim Merson for his appointment as the new Chief at the
Public Defender's Office.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m. The next CJAC meeting will
be Tuesday, October 10, 2017.
Respectfully submitted,
Kamie Cooley
Pretrial Services Supervisor
Reviewed by,
Doug Erler
Director, Weld County Justice Services
Department
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