People awaiting trial in Alameda County now have better access to resources

"On any given day in Alameda County, an estimated 3,000 people are out of jail awaiting trial on a misdemeanor or felony charge. Many of these people lack access to basic resources, which can be a risk factor leading to rearrest, failure to appear in court, and ultimately, more involvement in the criminal justice system. A new court program aims to reverse this trend."

"Program manager Cory Jacobs said the initiative is inspired by New York City's Supervised Release Program, a pretrial alternative to bail and jail that allows eligible defendants to remain in their communities while awaiting trial and connects them to community-based support. She said Alameda County had a similar pilot program from 2020 to 2022, but it was led out of the probation department and was "rooted in monitoring and supervision." That model remains fairly common statewide, according to Jacobs."

""You don't need to follow someone around while they're out of custody to make sure they stay out of trouble. Sometimes you just need to give them the resources they need for safety and stability," Jacobs told The Oaklandside. "Removing barriers is more effective at reducing recidivism than people realize.""

Alameda County launched an expanded pretrial services program linking defendants awaiting trial to case managers and community resources at no cost. The program partners the Superior Court, Alameda County Probation Department, and Oakland nonprofit BOSS. The model draws from New York City's Supervised Release Program and differs from prior probation-led pilots by prioritizing resource connection over monitoring. The court hired 12 pretrial positions—eight case managers, two supervisors, and two intake coordinators—each case manager carrying about 40 clients. Services include housing, jobs, mental health, substance treatment, and anger management to reduce recidivism and failure to appear.

Read at The Oaklandside