City of Jersey City, New Jersey - Application to the BJA Community Courts Initiative

Jersey City is a densely-populated and highly diverse, mid-sized city of 292,449 residents. The target population is comprised of Jersey City residents who have been charged with low-level and non-violent offences. These charges may include: drug possession, disorderly conduct, shoplifting, and trespassing, among others. Individuals with certain prior charges, like crimes that are violent in nature and convictions, may be ineligible for the program. Each year, JCCS reaches approximately 150 participants, as well as an additional 55 voluntary participants who do not participate in the court-based program, but are still screened and referred to service providers to address the underlying causes of their criminal behavior. With the requested funding, JCCS will have the capacity to mobilize services to reach additional defendants who face barriers to participation, strengthen partnerships and engage new community partners, and improve data collection and analysis capabilities to guide decision making on referral partners, outreach strategies, and other policies governing JCCS operations. The funding will allow JCCS to serve an additional 30 participants each year during the project period, as well as an additional 15 voluntary participants. In total, 180 defendants will be served by grant funds during the 48-month project period.  JCCS is seeking $600,000 in funding and will leverage in-kind matching funds in the amount of $244,617.84 for a total project cost of $844,617.84.  To provide treatment and services to address opioid, stimulant and other substance use or misuse reduction, JCCS is partnering with C-Line Community Outreach Center (CLCOC). CLCOC has extensive experience serving the low-income population of Hudson County and is a current referral partner for the Drug Court in Hudson County. CLCOC has familiarity with the targeted areas of Wards A and F and the organization is based in Ward F. During the screening process, the Social Service Technician will utilize the Criminal Court Assessment Tool (C-CAT) developed by the Center for Court Innovation. If substance use is identified during the screening process, the individual will be referred to CLCOC for a drug screening, which will aid in fully understanding the scope of their substance use and prescribe appropriate treatment. For individuals without health insurance or who are underinsured, JCCS will work with referral partners to obtain coverage. Additionally, we will use grant funds to help individuals who are uninsured or underinsured to enter treatment while also working towards obtaining insurance coverage. Our partnership with CLCOC will ensure that defendants using substances will be treated with culturally competent care and are able to access a treatment provider that is located in their own neighborhood.