Salt Lake County Phase 1 Report

Insights from Research Synthesis

JoAnn

Communication barriers

  • Key takeaway: Case managers struggle to communicate with clients due to communication technology access and other barriers.
  • Quotes
    • “I’ve had clients try to text me but my work phone doesn’t have that capability.” - Therapist, Criminal Justice Services
    • “Clients sometimes call me, sometimes email me… communication [can] vary.” - Therapist, Criminal Justice Services
    • “We need a way to coordinate care and communicate across the system.” - Administrator, Salt Lake County Behavioral Health Services
  • Observations
    1. Clients use of technology varies, but SMS phone possession and text message use is high.
    2. Case managers can spend hours in a day trying to contact with them through limited methods.
  • Ideas/Opportunities: How might we improve communication processes for caseworkers and their clients?
    1. Message support through text, email or voice to give clients asynchronous feedback loops so they can communicate when and how is convenient for them and allows case managers to keep track of clients.

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System complexity

  • Key takeaway: Complexity in the system and lack of clear information can make it hard for a client to comply with their supervision. Furthermore, system complexity acts as a barrier to to effectiveness on the operations and case management side as well as obfuscating pathways to success on clientside. Lack of transparency between the courts, service providers and Criminal Justice Services makes it hard for case managers to have a complete picture of challenges their clients might have and for clients to keep track of all their requirements.
  • Quotes
    • “I just wanted to know what is going to happen next. I want to do the right thing.” - Client, Criminal Justice Services
    • “Make the [process] easier for the client to understand” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “We’ve got people with 3, 4, 5 court dates.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “Part of the reason the system doesn’t work is that it’s too complicated.” - Criminal Justice Services - Case Manager Supervisor, Criminal Justice Services
  • Observations
    1. Competing supervision requirements for multiple charges can cause failure-to-appears.
    2. Some case managers use checklists to track what clients are doing.
  • Ideas/Opportunities: How might we make navigating the justice system clearer?
    1. Make the process as easy as possible for people by automating processes.
    2. Allow for flexible appearance dates, night court and rescheduling to minimize disruption of the general life tasks a person is responsible for.
    3. Online checklist of supervision requirements that case managers can update and share with their clients to track their progress.
    4. Client a portal for clients to self track progress and compliance for and probation conditions and personal goals. Have case manager give input on their goals and prioritize them. Client could track progress towards goals and compliance. Features could include general expectations about supervision, dates of appointments and when requirements are do, status updates and supporting online payments.

Supervision compliance motivators

  • Key takeaway: People with limited experience with the Justice System are afraid of getting out of compliance and are eager to put probation behind them.
  • Quotes
    • “You have to be really motivated or scared to death to succeed” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “The ones that show are the ones that will get it done….The ones that don’t show up get more charges.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “You’ll find that when they get out of jail they are excited [and motivated to stay out of jail].” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services

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Supervision compliance weak points

  • Key takeaway: Some individuals have effectively become “numbed” to their criminal record due to their extensive criminal history or criminal justice system experiences. Others feel their crime is minor and are either of the opinion that the supervision is a nuisance and an undue burden, or that - because they deem their crime minor, they also deem the supervision and its severity to be the same.
  • Quotes
    • “I didn’t make the effort to stop [last time on probation], I know it was wrong I justify it and I dont think its a big of a deal.” - Client, Criminal Justice Services
    • “Jail and Prison time can be preferable to some people who have been through the justice system multiple times because it’s familiar and there are no expectations on them.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “[Drug-abuse clients] want to avoid consequences, They often cite they ‘forgot.”’ - District Judge, Salt Lake County
    • “[The] reason is avoidance. [People with Felony prosecutions] really just do not want to deal with it.”* - District Attorney, Salt Lake City
    • “[I] knew I was going to be dirty and I fell back into the same thing and my attitude from that… fxxx it”* - Client, Criminal Justice Services
  • Observations
    1. Small errors, such as a missed an appointment or failed a drug test, can lead to a spiral effect where the client thinks they are in such a greater degree of severity in terms of noncompliance that further “descent” is minor and inevitable. Strong comparisons might be drawn to behavior surrounding, for example, debt.
  • Ideas/Opportunities: How might we make it easier for people who want to comply with their supervision to do so? Also, how might we give people who are not motivated reasons to comply?
    1. Assist in the pursuit of personal goals in parallel to completing supervision requirements. 2.Incentivise compliance by making them eligible for a lottery to refund some of the supervision fees already paid.

Personal Barriers

  • Key takeaway: Attitudes toward supervision and barriers to compliance are differ depending upon the individual.
  • Quotes
    • “We’re dealing with people; we need to make the communication personal” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “Every client comes a different kind of need. You treat each one is a separate way…some that need more encouragement some that need more guidance.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “Clients that don’t have a lot of arrests prior to me seeing them and one that have a good support system are the ones more likely to be successful.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
  • Observations
    1. Some have no problem with remembering court dates, but may have logistical barriers such as schedule. conflicts or have no place or people to leave their children with. Some clients are struggling to overcome addiction. Some are jaded by the system.
    2. Different clients have a different reminder methods including smartphone apps, physical and digital calendars, parents/friends, and reminder cards on the fridge.

Mental Health Barriers

  • Key takeaway: Mental health clients can can struggle to understand supervision requirements, remember appointments.
  • Quotes
    • “It takes a while for you to explain the conditions because [a person with a mental health condition] may not understand it….another person has signed a release of information form.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “We need to be patient and understanding that these people are … always going to be mentally ill and if they are not continually in treatment or taking their meds they’re going to continue to picking up charges.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “It takes a while for you to explain the conditions because (a person with a mental health condition) may not understand it … another person has signed a release of information form.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “For mental health clients—they always forget—give information to a caregiver, that is who you give the information to.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “I try everyday to not get high….When I do bad, I tend to punish myself.” - Mental Health Court Client
  • Observations
    1. Mental Health and Drug Abuse usually are co-occurring. It’s cheaper to get certain drugs than your medications. A lot of people lean toward heroin and meth.
    2. If a client with mental health issues are not at Jail long enough they won’t get doses of their medication and may lead to them showing up at Criminal Justice Services off their medication.

Addiction Barriers

  • Key takeaway: If the client is trying to get clean but stumbled, sanctions for drug use might reinforce feeling of shame. This can lead to a downward spiral where the client reinforces noncompliance predicated on early perceived failures.
  • Quotes
    • “[We can] keep them in jail and drug-free, or we can release them.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “Treatment will address Recidivism better than incarceration.” - Administrator, Salt Lake County Behavioral Health Services
  • Observations
    1. Easy access to drugs at homeless shelters poses a high risk.
  • Ideas/Opportunities: How might we tailor interventions to specific populations?
    1. Behavioral Health has a master name list with the “top ten” individuals who are heavy users on the mental health resources and have a high number of bookings. Helping edge cases like these could help more people and reduce burden on the system.
    2. Create redirection mechanism at jail booking to provide an alternative center for mental health and substance abuse clients that has treatment or something other than jail so that they are not getting entered into an inappropriate system.

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Individualized Support

  • Key takeaway: Support Staff engage with clients in a complementary manner with regards to the case manager, because their roles are not compliance focused. Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) Officers build rapport with clients and see themselves as Mentors. Peer Mentors are knowledgeable of, and have empathy for, the barriers addicts can face because they have been through a similar struggle.
  • Quotes
    • “[The] goal is to not to throw [clients] in jail but to rehabilitate.” - Intensive Supervision Probation Officer, Criminal Justice Services
    • Dealing with a person not just as themselves but as a whole … get them something that will give them a reason to stay sober.” - Therapist, Criminal Justice Services
  • Observations
    1. Intensive Supervision Probation (ISP) officers and Peer Support staff at Criminal Justice Services use texting to stay in frequent contact with clients to build rapport and give support.
    2. Criminal Justice Services case managers have reached out to ISP officers to visit their noncompliant clients with great results. 8 of 10 of the noncompliant clients they reach out to call their case managers right away.
    3. Therapists who work with clients identify emotional support as an important piece of client success.
  • Ideas/Opportunities: How might we supervise and support specific demographics differently?
    1. Target low risk low need offenders with online supervision tools. Less interaction with them is better for successful.

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Jail Issues

  • Key takeaway: There is a need to support people to help them keep their personal life and responsibilities stable and intact while they are in jail. Some people not eligible for pretrial or other out of jail options because of their risk level, the type of crime they committed or for not having a stable address or phone number or references.
  • Quotes
    • “A screener [at the jail] can talk to someone who isn’t homeless and by the time they get to us they can be.” - Case Manager, Criminal Justice Services
    • “We need to have the beds for the felons.” - Intake screener, Criminal Justice Services, discussing the reason for overcrowding releases (OCR)
    • “A lot of police officers don’t take people to jail anymore, because what’s the point of it?” - Pretrial Supervisor, Criminal Justice Services
  • Observations
    1. First offence creates supervision requirements that clients can’t comply with or think they can get away without complying.
    2. A person can be booked into jail and immediately released due to jail overcrowding.
    3. Some people are going back to jail not for new crimes committed, but for technical violations for not complying with supervision requirements.
  • Ideas/Opportunities: How might we increase the number of people eligible for pretrial release who are who are currently in jail? How might we help people complete their supervision without getting technical violations?