Washington County criminal justice panel seeks diversionary case manager to increase courts’ efficiency, lessen jail crowding

FAYETTEVILLE — A Washington County group looking for ways to reduce jail crowding and increase the efficiency of the courts recommended Thursday the county consider a case manager.

The manager would guide people who have been arrested into diversionary court programs that may keep them out of jail.

The county’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee voted unanimously to ask a diversionary case manager position be created and filled as soon as possible. The committee is made up of representatives of county government, law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, public defenders and community members.

Drew Smith, the committee’s coordinator, said the case manager job description has been sent to the county’s Human Resources Department. The panel asked it be sent to the county’s Job Evaluation and Salary Administration Program Committee and then to the Quorum Court’s Personnel Committee for discussion.

The case manager position was among a number of items listed in a recent report from the committee to the county’s justices of the peace.

Prosecuting Attorney Matt Durrett, co-chairman of the committee, said the case manager position should be a priority.

“The quicker we can get started with this, the quicker we can get up and rolling,” Durrett said. “To do this right, we’re going to need multiple positions. Once we show some progress, I think the Quorum Court will see the vision we’re coming up with and be more inclined to fund the project.”

The committee has been looking at holding more failure-to-appear clinics and hiring a diversion case manager to get detainees who qualify for specialty courts such as drug court and veterans court into those programs more rapidly. Establishing a mental health court is also on the list of programs being considered.

The panel has also discussed the need for a programs building or space devoted to diversionary programs and behavioral health programs at the jail. Pretrial services — including providing detainees with notice of court dates, transportation and references to services available in the community — were also mentioned.

The committee also heard a report from Janet Hawley, specialty court coordinator with the state Administrative Office of the Courts. Hawley updated the panel on the five mental health courts in Arkansas and the process of developing policies and procedures and having them approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Hawley said there are three mental health courts in northeast Arkansas — in Crittenden, Craighead and Mississippi counties — along with one in Pulaski County and one in Sebastian County. She said the courts’ caseloads range from 30 to 40 clients per probation officer or case manager. The mental health court programs, similar to adult drug courts and veterans courts, are run under the existing circuit courts in those counties.

Hawley said diversionary courts need a commitment from local governments to pay for the programs and typically involve partnerships with state and local agencies and mental health providers. A new program must ultimately be approved by the state Supreme Court, she said.