The Brief
- Alameda County Superior Court now has more caseworkers to help defendants find housing and jobs as they await trial.
- The goal is to give these people, roughly 3,000 a year, support so that they don’t recommit crimes.
- Alameda County gave a one-time expenditure of $3M, and then the court is hoping the state Legislature will fund the program in the future.
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Superior Court of Alameda County this week launched an expanded pretrial services program which means that people who have been charged, but not convicted of a crime, will be connected with caseworkers and direct links to social services.
The goal, according to the court, is so the roughly 3,000 people who have been released from custody and who are waiting for their case to resolve, at any given time can receive the support they need to prevent future arrests and recidivism. Caseworkers will provide services such as housing and employment, as well as mental health and substance abuse treatment, anger management programs, and parenting classes. All services will be offered for free.
Cory Jacobs, who leads the court’s pretrial services unit, said she’s thrilled to expand these services. …