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Alternative Sentencing
Project Director: Kathy Downs 327-4449
Disposition Coordinator: Sophia McCormick 327-8204, Fax: 327-2983
Juvenile Coordinator: Lela Ewers 327-8205
The Marion County Public Defender Agency received a grant in 1994 from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute to initiate a program to reduce the over-reliance on incarceration as punishment for adult offenders who are appropriate for community-based sentencing.
This program, the Sentencing Project, was also designed to increase the availability of drug treatment as a sentencing option to those in need, and to facilitate pre-trial release of eligible clients. To this end, the staff screens cases that have been submitted by public defenders and sends referrals to community correctional programs and drug/alcohol treatment facilities. Certain cases are assigned to contractual Sentencing Consultants for preparation of memoranda to be presented in court.
The Sentencing Project has also participated with the community mental health centers, the courts, and the Prosecutors Office in the development of a mental health diversion program called PAIR (Psychiatric Assertive Identification Referral). Through PAIR, clients who are charged with a misdemeanor offense not involving violence on another person, and who are diagnosed as seriously mentally ill, may enter into a mental health diversion agreement. Terms of the agreement will vary, but all will require the client to satisfactorily complete a mental health treatment program and remain in compliance for 1 year. Upon completion, the original criminal charge will be dismissed.
In 2004, new legislation has expanded the eligibility criteria for mental health diversion.
Accomplishments
- In house referrals: We have significantly increased the number of in-house referrals to Community Corrections, HOCCS, and Riverside since the onset of this grant.
- Sentencing Consultants: We have maintained an acceptance rate by judges of consultants plans, in whole or in part, of greater than 80% for cases referred out to sentencing consultants.
- Mental Health Diversion: Since 1996, nearly 1,000 persons have been approved by the Prosecutor's Office and accepted into mental health diversion programs. Successful completion rate is 73%.
Services Expand Through New Grants
1999: Sentencing Services expanded to include the Juvenile Court
2002: Contract with Midtown Community Mental Hearth Center to identify and refer mentally ill inmates and provide post-release planning.
2004: Screening and Substance Abuse Referral program began at the Arrestee Processing Center to link interested defendants to community treatment agencies.
2005: Contract with Family Growth/Catholic Charities to conduct educational program for juvenile offenders, charged with violence in the home, and their parents.
How We Help Our Clients and Our Community
Provide the means to make sentencing support services and planning available to indigent clients in both the adult and juvenile court systems.
- This grant will reduce jail overcrowding by placing adult offenders in community corrections programming.
- Community Correction programming offers offenders work-release, substance abuse treatment, anger control, parenting classes, life-skills training, and education for a GED. These programs reduce the likelihood that offenders will re-offend when released.
- Juvenile crime is an extension of a troubled family system. By adding support staff to assess client and family needs, and make appropriate social service referrals, we can reduce our client base.
- Our Social Service referrals will meet the need for immediate intervention.
This grant will provide funds for psychological testing and other assessments, thus reducing the financial burden of the Courts resources.
- By improving the efficiency of our attorneys by the addition of staff support, we will improve the over-all effeciency of the court process, curb unnecessary delays, and help to reduce court congestion.
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