RAPID INTERVENTION COMMUNITY COURT

Enhancing public safety by addressing the root causes of criminal behavior

Presentation at VT Law SchoolNovember 15th 2013

PUBLIC SAFETY OR INSANITY?

• “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”

– -Benjamin Franklin

What exactly is Rapid Intervention Community Court? (AKA RICC)

RICC

The mission of RICC is to provide immediate services that address the root causes of criminal behavior.

Defining the Problem

• Department of Corrections budget $140 million• Recidivism rate: 43% (VT. DOC facts and figures FY2012)

• Total DOC population: 10,743• Total cost per inmate per citizen: $192• Total misdemeanor convictions: 9,058• More than 40% of first time entrants into DOC are

under 25• 74.6% of female inmates receive mental health

services

DEFINING THE PROBLEM

• Cost of one year in prison: $58,110• Total expenditures for in state prison costs:

$91,929,918• Total expenditures for out of state prison costs:

$13,920,906• Vermont spends $114 million on jail. Is this a

good use of criminal justice dollars?• Can we do better? Can we do something

different?

RICC

Necessary components to be successful:1. Use science to determine eligibility.2. Have a clear incentive for participation.3. Consistent compliance monitoring.4. Link to community-based partners.

Evidence-Based MethodologyORAS: Ohio Risk Assessment System

- Evaluates level of risk for recidivating by identifying dynamic risk factors to guide and prioritize appropriate and effective programmatic intervention

- Criminogenic factors include: Criminal history; education; employment; family & social support; neighborhood problems; substance abuse; peer associations; criminal attitudes and behavioral patterns

Evidence-Based Methodology

Program staff incorporate Motivational Interviewing where possible when enrolling individuals into the program.

Motivational Interviewing and Thinking for Change are both utilized in RICC/Burlington Community Justice Center’s Retail Theft Awareness and Prevention Class.

Evidence-Based Methodology

Program partners all employ promising practices or evidence-based interventions OR are themselves evidence-based programs. For example:- Turning Point Center’s Recovery Coaching is

based on Making Alcoholics Anonymous Easier.- Lund, HowardCenter, and Spectrum all utilize

Motivational Interviewing.

Incentive

Important question to consider before starting program:

What motivation will someone have to complete a program that requires them to accept responsibility and address the risk factors in their lives?

Incentive

• RICC is optional and voluntary. Someone can choose to still go through the traditional criminal justice system.

• Carrot/Stick approach:• Carrots:

– 90 days = shorter process than going through courts– Avoid fees, Prosecution, Lengthy Court Process, Charge,

Conviction, Corrections etc.• Stick: Prosecution of their case will happen if they’re

not compliant with their contract.

Community Partnership

“This program represents a philosophical change – that Community Justice Centers and social service providers are equal partners in crime prevention.”

TJ Donovan

Community Partnership• Community Justice Centers (Burlington, Essex, S.

Burlington, Williston, & Winooski) and Chittenden County-based Reparative Boards

• Lund• Spectrum Youth Services• HowardCenter• Mercy Connections• Turning Point Center• VT Works for Women• Private Substance Abuse Counselors

Community Partnership

Burlington Community Justice Center: close working partner with RICC-- Restorative Justice Panels-- Retail Theft Awareness and Prevention Class-- Assists with ORAS screening -- Consultant role-- Advisory CommitteeFor questions about the BCJC’s role with RICC, please contact Karen Vastine: 802-865-7185

Community PartnershipCommunity Justice Centers – continued-- Individuals meet with members of the community and the victim at their restorative justice panel meeting-- Collaboratively designed restorative contract-- Can assist with restitution collection-- Staff and panel provides ‘case-management’ to assist with successful completion of program-- Constant two-way communication vis-à-vis updates on cases etc.

Community Partnership

Lund Family Services, Spectrum Youth & Family Services and HowardCenter-- Depending on demographics, individuals can be served by these programs for mental health and substance abuse assessment and counseling.

Community Partnership

Turning Point Center- Recovery Coaches assist people in accessing

housing, job training, community services, and networks of community support.

- Peer Support- Volunteering- Additional Programing in a safe, sober

environment

Community Partnership

Mercy Connections-- Programs, predominantly for women, that nurture self sufficiency through education, mentoring and community involvement.-- Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World: Aha! Process Inc

Compliance

• Dedicated staff person to monitor compliance: appointment reminders, contract check-ins, works with community partners.

• Non compliance with recommended plan results in Flash Cite i.e. cited into court on the following Tuesday or Thursday.

• Simultaneous Citation/Contract End Date• Failures are tracked by SA office.

Key Components

1. Screening appropriate pre-charge cases2. Determine risk/needs by employing Ohio Risk

Assessment System tool (ORAS) .3. Divert case by linking individual to the

appropriate community based organization.4. Compliance: 90 day threshold5. Completion-no charge filed6. Failure-flash cite to court for following Tues or

Thurs

RICC Present & Future

DOES RICC WORK?

• What was the post-program behavior of program participants?

• Outcome Evaluation– Conducted by Vermont Center for Justice Research

700 participants September of 2010 to December of 2012.

– Success = No conviction for any criminal offense

THE RESULTS

Completed RICC

Failed to Complete

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%93%

75%

Percentage of Participants Who Remained Conviction Free

Column1

18% less recidivism = 18% less CJ services

NUMBER OF CRIMES FOR WHICH RECIDIVISTS WERE CONVICTED

Completed RICC Failed to Complete0

10

20

30

40

50

60

15

48

# of Reconvictions Per 100 Recidivists

2

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE RESULTS?

Completed RICC Failed to Complete

NO MEASURABLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GROUPS: THE PROGRAM PROBABLY MADE THE DIFFERENCE

READ THE FULL REPORT

WWW. VCJR. ORG

HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS?

• Duty of prosecutors is to keep our communities safe. To do justice.

• Are we enhancing public safety by addressing the root causes of criminal behavior?

• Are we reducing recidivism?• What is the proper measure for public safety?• Are we fulfilling our duty?

Opportunities for Improvement

• Increasing Transparency• Creating an active advisory committee• Increasing communication• Using a more sophisticated database to track

client details.