Committee Chair
Commissioner Rodney Ellis
Goal
Make Harris County Safer and More Just: Reduce criminal legal system exposure that does not advance public safety.
Charge
This committee will develop and implement strategies to safely divert and deflect people from the criminal justice system to reduce the overreliance on incarceration and advance community health and safety.
Summary
This Committee focuses on the CJCC strategic plan objective of “Alternatives to Incarceration”:
- Appropriately reduce the overreliance on incarceration to help reduce the jail population
- Increase opportunities for deflection and diversion from the justice system
- Prioritize pretrial release using the least restrictive means that align with public safety
- Implement LEAD program and other pre-arrest diversion programs
- Expand the HART program for diversion of individuals with behavioral health needs
- Expand mental health diversion programs through the Harris Center and other community-based outpatient & residential services
- Reduce the likelihood of future contact with the criminal legal system for justice-involved individuals
Working Group(s):
- Diversion
- Holistic Assistance Response Team (HART)
- Prevention & Deflection
- Reentry