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MEMORANDUM
DATE
TO

FROM

June 6,1997

Gary Graves,Deputy County Executive
James T. Beall, Jr., Chair
Supervisor, District 4 ■ #

Pete
McHugh,^air iPubnc Safety and Justice Committee
Supervisor, District 3
SUBJECT:

Mental Health Court Funding

In recent budget meetings with various criminal justice department heads,
several critical budget issues relating to our criminal justice system have been
discussed.

Based on these discussions, we would like staff comment and analysis on the

concept of a mental health court. This court would have a calendar of cases
involving defendants who have mental health issues. With a district
attorney and a public defender dedicated to this type of court, the co^ty and
the
courtscourt
may and
be able
realize
of potential
financial
reducing
other
justicea number
system costs.
Resouices
couldbenefits
then be y
targeted toward serious criminals while the mentally ill receive assistan
and treatment.

Enclosed is a copy of a Homeless Court Calendar Project ^at tmght be used as
a model for a mental health court. Please provide to the board a bre^down
of the costs involved in establishing a mental health court md possible
savings from this type of effort in time for the budget hearmgs on law and
justice.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.us. Thank you.

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lj99^ NACo Achievement Awards

Hnmeless fialenilar Prolecl
San Diego County, CA
Population: 2,498,000
Background

this information was posted at the shelter.
Individuals on that list were given the

County courts had thousands of

opportunity to meet with a public defender

outstanding cases and warrants on
and prosecutor to discuss their case.If they
defendants who were homeless and without chose to do so. Those who subsequently
means to take care of their legal problems
reached an agreement on their case(s)
on their own. As a result,the courts were
\iltimately were scheduled for a court
overburdened with cases that could stay on

hearing on one of the dates reserved for

file for at least five years,before they coifid
be purged by the Marshal's office.

hearing cases involving homeless

Complicating fiie problem is the fact that
police offices frequently issue an"own

Almost 200 cases and warrants were cleared
from fixe court's records and the marshal's

recognizance release" to homeless
individuals when they contact them in the

system during the program's first year.

defendants.

Moreover,it allowed this segment of the

field. Often,these individuals fail to appear population to resolve pending legal matters
in court over and over again. Because of the in a thorough and dignified manner.

cycle of recalling and reissuing warrants,it
became almostimpossible to have these
cases purged from the system.

Cost

No additional e>q)enses were incurred to
implement this program.

Response

Court officials designed a court calendar

Contact

specifically for homeless defendants. Three

p.Kent Pedersen,Court Administrator

of these calendars were held during 1994.

San Diego County Municipal Court

To obtain the participation of the target
population,staff of the public defender's
office worked with a large shelter in the

220 West Broadway,Suite 2004
San Diego,CA 92101-3877
619/531^175

downtown area. Notices were posted at the

shdter informing the residents about the

program and giving them a contact at the
shelter. Information collected by that

contact person was forwarded to the
appropriate legal authorities.
Using that information, pending charges/
cases were researched. A list was

developing, matching defendants with their
cases. That list contained information as

well about offers prosecutors would be

willing to make to settle the case. Again,

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