Oklahoma County CJAC Annual Report (FY2020-21)

Oklahoma County CJAC Annual Report (FY2020-21)

Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council Quarterly Report To Interlocal Partners

3rd Annual Report for FY 2020-21

October 2021

Timothy Tardibono, MA, JD Executive Director

405.290.7060 [email protected]

BACKGROUND: In response to the growing concerns about chronic overcrowding in Oklahoma County’s jail facility, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber announced the creation of a special task force to evaluate Oklahoma County’s criminal justice system in December 2015. With collaboration and input from a diverse group of community members, the Chamber contracted with the Vera Institute of Justice to complete an initial analysis and make recommendations for reform of the Oklahoma County criminal justice system. Vera released their recommendations in December 2016. As a central recommendation of the report, an inter- local agreement between Oklahoma County, the City of Oklahoma City, the City of Edmond, and the City of Midwest City created the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC) in November 2017. The Advisory Council continued to evolve with the hiring of a full-time Executive Director in February 2018 to provide support to the CJAC’s efforts. The creation of this permanent oversight body is key to implementing the proposed criminal justice reforms which can be summarized in these six key recommendations: 1. Create oversight and accountability mechanisms for the local justice system. 2. Reduce jail admissions for municipal violations and low-level misdemeanors. 3. Create a fair and efficient pretrial release process that safely reduces unnecessary pretrial incarceration. 4. Identify and address district court case processing delays that increase jail admissions and length of stay. 5. Expand meaningful diversion program options, focusing on those with mental illness and substance abuse disorders.

MEMBERS OF THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL Clay Bennett, Chairperson, OKC Thunder Tony Tyler, Vice-Chairperson, Tyler Media MEMBERS: Sue Ann Arnall, Arnall Family Foundation Kevin Calvey, Commissioner Board of Oklahoma County Commissioners Craig Freeman, City Manager of Oklahoma City Wade Gourley, Chief of Police of Oklahoma City Judge Philippa James, Presiding Judge of Oklahoma City Municipal Court Tommie Johnson III, Sheriff of Oklahoma County Tim Lyon, City Manager of Midwest City Rev. Theodis Manning, Senior Pastor, Divine Wisdom Worship Center David Prater, District Attorney of Oklahoma County Judge Ray Elliott, Presiding Judge of the Oklahoma County District Court Robert Ravitz, Oklahoma County Public Defender Larry Stevens, City Manager of Edmond Dan Straughan, Executive Director, The Homeless Alliance LaShawn Thompson, Court Administrator of Oklahoma City Rick Warren, Court Clerk of Oklahoma County Carrie Slatton-Hodges, Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Roy Williams, President of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber Amy K. Simpson, Secretary, City Clerk for Oklahoma City Cole Marshall, General Counsel, McAfee & Taft

6. Reduce the impact of justice system fines and fees as a driver of jail growth and recidivism.

Although each of the six recommendations carry numerous challenges and barriers to improvement, the good news is that because of the cooperative effort of the Advisory Council’s stakeholders, progress continues to be made on each of the six recommendations.

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The CJAC completed its third full fiscal year on June 30, 2021. Tough. Hard. Difficult. Messy. Challenging. Exhausting. Tumultuous. Not excuses but apt descriptors that highlight the struggles of trying to implement justice system reforms during a global pandemic, social unrest, and a toxic political climate. Nevertheless, the foundations of progress mentioned in previous CJAC Annual Reports continues to show evidence of system change.

LEGISLATURE PROVIDES MUCH NEEDED MENTAL HEALTH/SUBSTANCE ABUSE FUNDING

Arrestees Detained in Jail by Gender 1 Year Average for FY 21 l r r f r

The Vera Institute for Justice’s 2016 report regarding needed reforms to the OK County criminal justice system, highlighted the need for focused attention on diversion especially for those facing mental illness and addiction. In fact, the 5th Recommendation in the Vera report proposes that the Oklahoma County justice system expand meaningful diversion program options, focusing on those with mental illness and substance abuse disorders. A major factor for the reduction in the jail’s overcrowding has been due to the response on this 5th Recommendation. However, numerous stakeholders believe more can be done to further reduce the jail population with more expansion of such programs. For years, service providers, program supporters, families of loved ones and those trapped in the throws of mental illness and substance abuse disorders have petitioned the Legislature for more funding toward diversion efforts. In the 2021 legislative session, the State Legislature not only passed legislation to assist diversion efforts but also wrote some checks to fund those efforts.

15%

85%

Male Female l l

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Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) allows the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) to contract with third parties to provide secondary transport services instead of law enforcement for those in a mental health episode. Alternative transport options frees-up law enforcement time and manpower while further reducing the stigma toward mental illness. The Legislature added $2 million in funding to fund the program. Another bill, Senate Bill 38 (SB 38) further strengthens Oklahoma’s drug courts and gives them more flexibility to use appropriated funds. Oklahoma County’s Drug Court has been a critical piece in the puzzle of how to do more to respond to Vera’s 5th Recommendation. The Legislature’s budget for ODMHSAS included the following additional funding that will direct significant dollars toward much needed diversion services including in OK County: • $7.5 million for additional urgent care and crisis centers • $3 million for mobile crisis teams to respond to and diffuse crisis situations in communities • $2 million will allow ODMHSAS to expand its highly successful mobile tech program with law enforcement officers statewide, allowing for on demand treatment

access via tablet to Oklahomans experiencing a mental health crisis. A pilot is already up and running in OK County. • $500,000 will continue a pilot project in five county jails, including the OK County Detention Center, that provides offenders with access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid and alcohol dependence. • $500,000 for mental health support services for law enforcement including more Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) courses for first responders and additional program growth. ODMHSAS Commissioner and CJAC Member Carrie Slatton-Hodges is encouraged by the progress made this legislative session. “This investment in mental health crisis and early intervention services will have an immediate impact on Oklahoma. There is no doubt lives will be saved and people in crisis will more likely get the help they need,” Slatton-Hodges said. As more Oklahoma County residents have access to these services, less of them will be intersecting with the criminal justice system and the detention center.

FACILITIES SUBCOMMITTEE LEADS MAJOR EFFORT TO STUDY FUTURE DETENTION FACILITY

It is no secret that the OK County Detention Center has incredible challenges. It’s also no secret that those challenges have been present for two decades or more. As other CJAC Subcommittees have focused on the pretrial system, case processing and >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12

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