HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 08-30-2012 - 1 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: August 30, 2012
Action Agenda
Item No. 1
SUBJECT: District Court House Tour— Court Programs Overview
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Office of the PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
Court and Sheriff's Department
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Orange County District Court House Tour Joseph M. Buckner, Chief District Court
— Court Programs Overview Judge
Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass
PURPOSE: To receive a presentation from Chief District Court Judge Joseph M. Buckner.
BACKGROUND: Judge Joseph M. Buckner will present an overview of Court Programs in
Orange County including the following:
1. Current Jail Situation
2. Sentencing Changes for Misdemeanants
3. Pretrial Services
4. Drug Treatment Court
5. Community Resource Court
6. District Court Mediation
Judge Buckner and Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass will be available to answer any questions
regarding the operation of the Jail and District Court operations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with receiving the presentation.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board receive the Court Programs
presentation. Questions and discussion of related issues will be addressed by Judge Buckner
and Sheriff Pendergrass. County staff has been researching the current pre-trial release
program issue. Results of that effort will be provided once complete.
it
Orange County
District Court House Tour
\\
Court Program Overview
Hillsborough, NC
January 23, 2012
Current Jail Situation
•The Orange County Jail averages around 150-155 inmates
per day
•:•The jail is filled nearly to capacity
• By housing and transporting federal inmates, the Sheriff's
Department brings revenue in through federal
reimbursements
+A pp roximate Average Daily cost per inmate -
$48 .00
+Total projected cost for upcoming fiscal year -
$3,815, 127
Sentencing Changes for
Misdemeanants
• 90 days or less - Placed in jail ; no change
here.
. Funded through local government
. Between 90 days and 180 days — Law
passed in 2011 places these offenders in
county jails, reimbursed by the DOC
• a local cost.
"' Over 180 days — Placed in Prison
• Funded by Dept. of Corrections
Pretrial Services
- Provides the judge with release from jail options for offenders -
:• Supervision for offenders with pending charges
... Investigates inmates for appropriate ; -- - - -- -
recommendation µ �
i
. Facilitates placements for problems that
manage offender risk factors such as mental
health or substance abuse treatment
❖ Pro-active on strike order supervision,
preventing jail costs on the "front end" as well
as avoiding costs after arrest
Pretrial Services Creates a Social Safety Net :
...
* Calls attention to poor risk factors & revokes non-
compliance promptly with re-arrest
+TREMENDOUS COST SAVINGS:
+300 inmates released through pretrial at a savings of
, 1 \
., , \
$70 per day annually Example: average 12 days saved ,i
•
per defendant X $70/ day (jail costs) X 300 releases = : /
.;
$252,000 saved------ ------ ----
$ ,
,f
+Cost sharing of overhead ended with state grant 6/30/2011
+Admissions for services increased 100% from two years
ago
+ $54,000 increase needed to cover program costs over the $70,000
allocation from last year @ 70% cost in 15-B
+ cost sharing of overhead ended with state grant last fiscal year
*� Drug Treatment Court
® Goal .
*:* Rehabilitate drug and alcohol offenders while also saving our
justice and judicial system's valuable resources in the long
run .
*:* Method •
o ft= s
+ Hold chemically dependent offenders accountable by
requiring them to meet rigorous court ordered treatrtmen.
plans for a MINIMUM of 12 months.
*: Results: � A
+Over 2/3 remain in treatment for over six months.
*Overall: Effective in rehabilitating offenders while also saving
resources.
Problem :
Drub Treatment Court' s State Funding Cut
+ In the state budget, Drug Treatment Courts
were eliminated leaving district courts
searching for funding from local and other °
sources.
+ For FY 2011/12 - Orange County
Commissioners approved $67,000 to keep the
court operational
+ ln 2011 DTC served 61 offenders and
. .
DTC Cost Savings
• An example of cost savings : From July to
September 2011 , we had 5 graduates with .-- ' I
suspended sentences totaling over 7 years. \; *,,,\
/ 1 in prison, however, they served a 1 ,
combined 12 days jail while in DTC,
totaling $763 . 80 ( 12 days jail * 63 . 65) .
..,_ ,
This county and the state did not have to..--'"."---
pay for approximately 2543 days of
jail/prison, or approximately $ 161 ,862 .
Community Resource
Court
+ GoaI of Community Resource Court:
+Collaboration between mental health and judicial professionals
to provide support for offenders suffering from diagnosed
mental health conditions.
M et h od • �
• ,
. Re uire these offensers
q ers to complete CRC court, as a way to .�
keep them out of trouble, rehabilitate them, provide support,
and eventually have their charges dropped .
++ Res u lts :
❖Around 50 participants per year/Orange Co. only — (54 in 2010)
+Graduation rate has averaged 50% over the last 10 years.
❖ Local studies show recidivism is slowed after CRC involvement.
CRC was created to address the treatment needs of people
with mental health issues who became involved with the
criminal courts. .
• Links offenders with services and supports that help them to
better manage their mental illness.
• Also called "Mental Health Court" because it helps people s'
address their mental health needs as well as helping p g them.to.
be law abiding residents.
• Funding is $189,000 per year which comes from DHHS and ,
covers the salary and expenses of the program manager and
care coordinator-covers both Orange and Chatham Counties
• Currently there are no funds that cover court administrator,
judges, or attorneys time.
• The total number served since 2000 in Orange County: 780
Mission. "to promote and bring about the peaceful
Dispute settlement o f disputes dis and d prevent the escalation of
Settleme conflict through mediation,facilitation, conciliation and
Center. training."
•The Dispute Settlement Center is they
/ I \
original and model mediation center in NC, "
founded in 1978 by concerne d citizens zens with
support of Orange County Board of County;
Commissioners .
DSC serves 3000 people a through
h
year �
Mediation, Public Disputes, Trainin g and
Youth Programs .
Dispute
Settlement District Court Mediation
Center
DSC's core program for over 30 years
,,..,,,,
,,. /
F
Y 12 state budget eliminated the allocation:. ``;
,.,
,„
to DSC for court mediation : $60, 227E
-„,,,, ,
: ,. , i
Mediators worked with an average of 200..' - 1 i .
cases/year with 85% resolution rate for „._.,,,,,,;,/,,,,,
' ' � _
mediated cases
' Mediation saves court time and effectively
moves cases through the system