Community Justice Programs Division

Community Corrections provides assessment and monitoring services for the County Attorney's Adult Diversion Program. The purpose of diverting certain low-level felony cases is to reduce the Court's calendar by limiting the number of court hearings.

The process is initiated by an offender requesting consideration for the program. The prosecuting attorney screens the case for initial qualification criteria, which includes offense category, restitution, and offender admission of guilt. Restitution owed is established by the prosecuting attorney, as part of the initial screening.

After determining that the case meets the screening criteria, it is referred to Community Corrections. The Adult Diversion Coordinator then meets with the offender for a more in-depth evaluation. Once the offender is assessed as an appropriate candidate, the Coordinator establishes the conditions for diversion, or the case plan. The offender must plead guilty, but the judge will not accept the plea. Cases are generally diverted for a period of one year, with a few exceptions when it appears that more time is needed to pay larger restitution balances.

Upon completion of an assessment and case planning, the case is then monitored for compliance. In the event of a violation, or failure to complete conditions, the case is returned to court to determine if the guilty plea should be accepted and sentence imposed.

Upon full conditions being met, the Court and prosecuting attorney are notified and the case is dismissed. It is noteworthy that the case is initially charged in court and that the court and defense counsel are also notified at each step of the process.

Research studies in the area of correctional programming have identified cognitive-behavioral interventions, with appropriately assessed high-risk offenders, as having positive results in changing offender thinking and behavior. These programs are generally classified as those that focus on the development of cognitive skills (how to think) or programs, which attempt to restructure (what to think) cognitive processes. Behavioral approaches are generally combined with cognitive-restructuring or skill building methods, in order to reinforce learning and model, shape, and reward pro-social behavior.

Cognitive-behavioral interventions, both skills and restructuring programs, are designed for offenders who have learned anti-social values and beliefs, often demonstrated through harmful behaviors. These interventions focus on changing thinking and beliefs, while enhancing offender competencies and empathy, in order to encourage a more pro-social lifestyle.

Community Corrections currently utilizes five cognitive skills-based programs for offenders on probation supervision, which are briefly described as follows:

•  Reasoning and Rehabilitation (R & R): This well-researched program was developed through correctional practitioners and researchers in Canada. R & R is a highly structured, 75-hour program, which teaches offenders skills in the areas of problem solving, negotiation, social skills, creative thinking, critical reasoning, management of emotions, along with goal setting and planning. The program also challenges offenders' beliefs through values, enhancement exercises, and moral dilemma discussions. This program is offered to high-risk adult offenders who are under probation supervision and reside in the community.
• Reasoning and Re-Acting (R & R Juvenile):  This 70-hour program is the juvenile version of the adult R & R curriculum described above. As in the adult version, skills are taught in the areas of problem solving, negotiation, social skills, creative thinking, critical reasoning, management of emotions, along with goal setting and planning. The program also challenges juvenile offenders' beliefs through values enhancement exercises and moral dilemma discussions. Currently, this program is offered to high-risk juvenile offenders who attend the two PLACE (People Learning A Cooperative Existence) day programs in Washington County.
• Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment (Strategies for Self-Improvement and Change):  This structured program was developed by several correctional researchers who also have many years of experience in working with substance-abusing offenders. Offenders targeted for this intervention have also experienced multiple failures in more traditional chemical dependency treatment programs. The program utilizes cognitive-behavioral approaches, augmented with specific exercises and discussions focused on the challenges of overcoming chemical dependency. This curriculum is currently facilitated as the treatment component of the juvenile Community Options Program.
• Moving On (female-offender specific):  Developed by psychologist Marilyn VanDieten, Ph.D., "Moving On" has been piloted in several correctional agencies and facilities with female offenders. The program incorporates skills and restructuring approaches and appears to be a promising intervention for high-risk adult female offenders.

Community Corrections also refers offenders into less intensive educational programs, generally referred to as "life skills" programs. Life Skills programming assists offenders in the development of skills that are necessary for self-sufficiency and independent living. There are many educational programs offered in the community that teach offenders methods to better manage their resources and alternative ways to deal with daily life stresses. These programs are generally focused on providing helpful information through lecture or presentations, although some may incorporate structured group discussions on specific topics. Examples include, but are not limited to, information on money management, interviewing and employment skills, nutrition and meal planning, and short-term anger management classes.

The goal of the Washington County Juvenile Diversion Program is to provide eligible offenders with an alternative to the juvenile court process that emphasizes restorative justice and community-based programs and reduces the costs and caseload burdens on the juvenile court system. Community Corrections, in cooperation with the County Attorney's Office, coordinates diversion services for juvenile offenders who meet the criteria for diversion and were not diverted by local law enforcement. All juvenile offense reports are screened by the County Attorney's Office. Offenses that fit specific criteria are referred to Community Corrections for diversion.

Youth are referred to four youth-serving agencies that provide diversion services at the community level. The community referral process significantly reduces the time between the offense and the diversion response, eliminates duplication of effort by the county and local agency staff, and gives the community greater responsibility and authority for the response to juvenile crime.

Participation in the diversion process is voluntary. The juvenile must admit to the offense as read and be willing to complete the conditions of a time-limited agreement that emphasizes victim and community reparations and education regarding at-risk behavior. If the juvenile does not follow through with the agreement, the matter is referred back to Community Corrections and the County Attorney's Office for consideration for a juvenile court petition.

Sentence to Service (STS) is a jail alternative program designed to repay the community for harm incurred by an offense. It avoids costly incarceration, provides work projects that are of benefit to the citizens of Washington County by improving the conditions of its resources, and improves competency levels for offenders through completion of meaningful work experiences. In STS, low-risk offenders labor in organized work crews on various projects throughout the county. Offenders working on the crews either come from home or directly out of the jail to work for the day. Each day worked is credited as a jail day served or as eight hours at a pre-determined rate towards an outstanding fine.

By participating in STS, offenders are able to indirectly make amends for their actions by contributing on work projects that add significant value to organizations and communities throughout the county. Under the direction of STS crew leaders, work projects are completed for public, private non-profit, and government agencies, and involve jobs including cutting grass and shoveling snow for elderly/disabled individuals, trail and prairie restoration for state agencies, recycling for county buildings, natural disaster relief, painting, clean-up and general maintenance, to mention only a few.

Offenders are also offered exposure to informational presentations on a variety of topics throughout the year. Examples of these presentations, to name a few, have included chemical health, domestic abuse, budgeting, parenting, job services, natural resources, and the judicial system.

In 2004, taxpayers saved over $700,000 by not having to pay the cost of incarcerating the offenders for 10,016 days. Offenders completed a total of 85,266 hours of work during the year. With a total value of hours worked, jail days saved and fees revenue generated of $1,157,842, minus operating costs of $586,151, the STS program produced and added a net value of $571,691 for Washington County.

The PLACE (People Learning A Cooperative Existence) Program is a community-based educational program designed for adjudicated, delinquent youth who are experiencing significant problems within the community, as well as learning and behavior problems at school. One of the goals is to keep higher-risk juveniles in the community by building on their strengths and involving them in structured, constructive activities that are appropriate to their needs. The program accepts juveniles who have exhausted other community-based programs and who are at imminent risk of out-of-home placement. The target population for PLACE includes juveniles who are assessed to be high risk to re-offend (Y/LSI), residents of Washington County, 13 to 17 years old, and placed on probation under the supervision of Community Corrections or Community Services in Washington County.

The PLACE Program offers a special education setting, including education and psychological assessments. In addition to academic competencies, juveniles are taught social skills, problem solving, and personal responsibility for behavior. The 60-session Reasoning and Reacting cognitive curriculum is part of the program. The program is highly structured and focuses on building and reinforcing strengths. The program facilitates a safe and caring community where juveniles are encouraged and reinforced to help each other.

The program opened in April 1999 and resulted from collaborative efforts with the Washington County Children's Mental Health Collaborative. Human Services, Inc. hires and supervises the teacher and life skills coordinator and manages the lease for the building and the contract with the school districts.

At the beginning of 2003, the juvenile division created an in-house Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) team by contracting with MST Services from Charleston, South Carolina, one Ph.D clinical supervisor, and two MST therapists who can work with four to six families at one time. MST referrals are made when high-risk youth are at high risk in the family domain of the Y-LSI and either a placement of two months or longer can be avoided or a longer placement can be shortened. MST offers an important service that cannot be provided by out-of-home placements.

MST is a family- and home-based treatment that strives to change how youth function in their natural settings – home, school, and neighborhood – in ways that promote positive social behavior while decreasing anti-social behavior. MST provides a youth's primary caregivers with skills and resources to deal independently with difficulties that arise when rearing teenagers. This is done by using identified strengths to develop natural support systems and by removing barriers to effective family functioning. MST is based on the philosophy that the most effective and ethical way to help youth is through helping their families. It is often most successful to intervene in a number of systems to achieve positive results.

In September 2002, the department launched the Community Options Program designed for high-risk (Y-LSI) juveniles who are high risk for substance abuse and have already failed at least one chemical dependency program. The pilot program involves an 18-month commitment of resources by three agencies: Community Corrections, Human Services, Inc., and Community Services. The program is a long-term (minimum of seven months), community-based intervention based upon "best practices" and the latest adolescent chemical health research. The core of the program is a 50-session cognitive curriculum, Strategies for Self Improvement and Change, developed by Dr. Harvey Milkman. The underlying philosophy combines a harm-reduction model with a motivational interviewing approach. The intensive care manager coordinates a holistic approach by involving family, school, significant support persons, and probation officers. The intent is to involve youth in the change process, teach them life skills, and promote their long-term success.

This program provides residential placement for adjudicated juvenile offenders who are under the jurisdiction of the courts in Washington County. Out-of-home placements are recommended only when it is necessary to protect public safety or because all appropriate community-based resources have been tried and proven to be ineffective.

In order to recommend out-of-home placement, the juvenile's YLS-CMI risk score must be in the medium- to high-risk to re-offend range. Programs are utilized that will address the juvenile's criminogenic need areas and be located as close to the family's community as possible. Placements are recommended for the shortest time necessary to address the juvenile's behavior and develop a plan to successfully reintegrate the juvenile back into the community.

All juveniles initially detained by law enforcement after allegedly committing a serious offense in Washington County are detained at the Washington County Law Enforcement Center Eight-Day Hold. The juvenile appears before the Court within 36 hours (excluding holidays and weekends), and a Community Corrections probation officer makes a recommendation regarding further detention. If the juvenile poses a serious threat to self or others, placement is made at the East Central Regional Juvenile Center or other available detention center for longer detention. The department contracts with Anoka and Dakota Counties to provide detention beds, both of which provide restorative detention programs that incorporate cognitive interventions.