This report describes the features and reports the outcomes of Grant County's (Indiana) Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI).
Grant County was selected to participate in the JRI in April 2011. In Phase I of the JRI, the county established a vision of risk and harm reduction, strengthened its collaborative team process, developed an in-depth assessment of current practice, studied the evidence-based research and its application at decision points from arrest to discharge, and developed a strategic plan with five initial change targets. The five areas the county determined to need improvement in risk and harm reduction outcomes were 1) the pretrial process, including the use of risk assessments to inform the pretrial release and detention decision; 2) the effectiveness of interventions provided by community (non-criminal justice) agencies; 3) the probation violations process and alternatives to revocation; 4) caseload re-allocation to optimize supervision of higher risk probationers; and 5) improved victim satisfaction with the court process. Extensive technical assistance was provided the county from fall 2011 to summer 2015 in the following three categories: data analysis and performance measurement, increasing the JRI Policy Team's capacity to use good data in the development of new policy solutions and sustain its collaborative process, and assistance with implementation of selected policy options. While continuing to monitor implementation of the policy options selected in 2011-2013, it will explore three new areas for the future: improving the jail information system, managing new trends in the use of the jail for sentenced offenders, and the high number of defendants with mental health issues in all sentencing options. Insights for other jurisdictions are provided.