Delaware’s Community Court Project

The Delaware Criminal Justice Council requests $600,000 in federal funds for Category 2 of the FY 2022 BJA Community Courts Initiative solicitation with the purpose of conducting a 48-month project to enhance the Wilmington Community Court (WCC). Delaware seeks priority consideration 1(A) to promote racial equity and remove barriers to access and opportunities for communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequity and priority consideration 2 to serve individuals that reside in high-poverty areas (pgs 1,2, 8 in narrative). The WCC intends to serve 897 participants over the 48-month grant period. The target population is adults charged with the low-level misdemeanors. The current WCC serves New Castle County, but this project proposes to narrow the target geographic region to Wilmington, starting with the 19805-zip code.

The primary activities of the proposed project include narrowing the geographic focus to better serve the historically underserved and marginalized community living in poverty; utilization of peer mentors; collaboration with a local community center; partnership with a community agency to manage restorative justice and community service programming; providing Judicial oversight and case management based on risk and need; providing increased case management services; and partnership with Delaware State University for data review and mapping, creation of a performance management plan, design and implementation of a process evaluation and assessment of implementation plan; collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, and development of an ongoing program improvement plan. Funding will be provided in the form of subgrants to the Administrative Office of the Courts, DSU, Treatment Access Center (TASC), and a to be determined community agency to coordinate restorative justice and community service for participants. The expected outcomes of the proposed enhancements include greater community voice and impact, increased access to services for the historically marginalized and underserved in Wilmington; more alignment with the WCC mission and other community courts nationally; and implementation of performance management and ongoing program improvement plans.

To address opioid, stimulant, and other substance use or misuse reduction, the WCC identifies when substance use is a concern through initial needs screening and connects participants to assessments and treatment services through case management. This project proposes to also work with peer mentors and have increased case management services to support this area.