Ah, the jail. How long have we been talking about it? Remember those work groups that were formed in 2015 that made tons of recommendations? Let’s take a peek at the progress being made on those recommendations over the past nearly 4 years!
The county board recently got a report on the status of the recommendations. That full report is here. For more information see here. More information can be located on the Criminal Justice Council website.
LENGTH OF STAY WORKGROUP
Occurred/moving Forward
None
In Process
- Implement full-scale pretrial services, including electronic notification of court dates: Dane County first randomized control with Harvard Access to Justice lab regarding outcomes of pretrial assessment; court reminders in place; FTE pretrial assessors budget in 2019
- Implicit Bias, Racial Equity and Inclusion, Diversity and Poverty Training: Partners with MacArthur Safety and Justice Foundation and the Dane County Criminal Justice Council to bring national speakers
- Alternative sentencing via community service work and diversion programs: Community service as a disposition began in 2018; new provider in 2019 utilized by six branches of the Circuit Court
- Require a racial impact statement before implementing policy: Equity questions included on all County agendas for public meetings
- Perform a racial equity analysis on policies related to signature bonds, bail determinations, and eligibility for electronic monitoring: Analysis of front-end justice is ongoing as a result of funding from Urban Institute for the Capstone Innovation grant (electronic monitoring is not a part of this grant)
Not currently implemented
- Initial Appearances/bail hearings on weekends and holidays (if possible)
- Create a comprehensive reporting system for public oversight and accountability of the District Attorney’s office’s charging and sentencing recommendation (plea bargaining) policies and practices
- Require the Department of Corrections to report weekly to the Dane County Board of Supervisors and the County Executive, as to who is on a probation or parole hold
- To further advance the interests of justice and fai rness for individuals held in jail on Dept. of Corrections holds, the Dane County Board shall immediately recommend the following:
- (a) DOC develop a probation and/or extended supervision hold process wherein individuals who are held in the Dane County Jail and alleged to have only violated rules of supervision be considered for release pending the investigation and the Dept.’sdecision whether to seek revocation
- (b) that, pursuant to Sec. DOC 331.05 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, DOC provide a Preliminary Hearing and Detention Hearing for all individuals held in the Dane County Jail who are alleged to have only violated rules of supervision so that some individuals will be released while they await the Final Revocation Hearing
ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION
Occurred/moving Forward
- Volunteer Programming-Use and strengthen volunteer programs to reduce involvement with the formal criminal (and juvenile) justice system(s): Over 150 peacemakers participate in the Community Restorative Court(CRC) throughout Dane County. Youth justice DOJ grant award focuses on community and law enforcement collaborations
- Expand Restorative Justice Models throughout Dane County: Expansion of the restorative justice program within schools in addition to 17-25 year olds in CRC
- Create a Racial/Ethnic Equity Data Analyst Position: Hired a CJC research analyst position which utilizes a racial equity lens
- Cultural Competence, Social and Racial Justice Training: Established the Office for Equity and Inclusion; support community social and racial justice events
In Process
- Expand Diversion Services: CRC, additional budgeting for Deferred Prosecution Unit within the District Attorney’s Office
- Use a Racial Equity Lens to review policies and practices: Dane County departments created equity plans (see OEI website) ; equity questions included on all County agendas for public meetings
- Review Current Diversion Programs: Ongoing data collection and data integration efforts
- Establish Community Advisory Boards: OEI Advisory Board, CRC Advisory Board
- Require cultural and linguistic diversity: Equity statements added in all position descriptions; bilingual bicultural specific recruitment
Not currently implemented
- Implement a Fugitive Safe Surrender Program
MENTAL ILLNESS, SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND INCARCERATION
Occurred/moving Forward
- County Executive should convene a leadership team of mental health providers, advocates and others, to explore:
- The current system of financing mental health services in the public and private sector and identify opportunities or strategies to enhance collaboration and/or the more effective use of public and private resources and to increase funding through securing grants or other resources focused on improving mental health service outcomes; and
- Development of more cost effective, coordinated, sustainable,andcomprehensive servicestosupport individuals withmentalhealth,developmentaldisability, and substance abuse issues in the community, reducing the need for jail and/or hospital diversion and supporting reentry
Progress: CJC has engaged various stakeholders and advocates to review and create recommendations around the intersection behavioral health/mentalhealthandincarceration. Nationalexpertsinclude Treatment Alternatives for a Safer Community and PRI
In Process
- Remodel the current jail to reflect a more humane and modern facility: Current proposals to consolidate trifurcated jail, closing the unsafe and inhumane City-County Building facility and building a smaller jail with space for behavioral healthcare and programming
- Increase the number and reach of mobile crisis response staff/teams: Additional money included in 2019 budget to expand mobile crisis response teams
- Develop more culturally relevant and family centered outreach and engagement: Engage Dane; implicit bias in Dane County criminal justice system community conversation
- Add culturally relevant staff to work in collaboration with current mental health, substance abuse, or developmental disability services and community resources: Ongoing process with OEI.
- Create and sustain a culturally diverse workforce: Ongoing effort. OEI working with county departments
- Reduce the length of time in solitary confinement and administrative segregation: New jail planning limits administrative segregation
- Support the development of a plan to deliver additional training and resources for judicial officials, attorneys, and others involved in the court process: Implicit bias in Dane County criminal justice system training
- Convene a workgroup under the auspices of the Criminal Justice Council to identify and sustain strategies to improve processes and expedite cases for inmates with significant mental health, substance abuse, or developmental disability issues as may be appropriate: CJC directed staff to develop a proposal for a subcommittee of the CJC focused on behavioral health
Not currently implemented
- Develop culturally relevant community-based crisis, assessment and resource center: Department of Human Services (DHS) has retained a consultant to complete analysis of all mental health resources and gaps in Dane County
