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City describes special-services docket and Better Way employment program as alternatives to traditional prosecution
Summary
Presenters described Tulsa’s special-services docket, which connects low-level misdemeanor defendants to clinical and social services, and Better Way, a city-funded program that hires people to clean public space while offering case-management and job connections.
City presenters described two programs the Human Rights Commission said have been used to address underlying causes of low-level offenses and to connect people experiencing homelessness to services.
A presenter described the special-services docket as "an alternative to traditional prosecuting and sentencing of individuals that are charged with low level municipal misdemeanor offenses," noting the docket excludes violent offenses but connects eligible participants to clinical case management and social services. The presenter said most participants have conditions related to homelessness, mental-health crises or substance use, and that graduates often have their open charges dismissed and fines suspended. "Past data has shown that around 90 percent of our graduates from the program, will have no new charges within 6 months of graduation," the presenter said.
Separately, officials described Better Way, a city-funded program that hires people who otherwise might panhandle for daily wages to clean city property while providing an on-site case manager and employment specialist during the workday. A program participant said the initiative connected him to a steady job. "They did connect me with a job, which I'm still working at," the participant said.
City presenters said both programs are examples of a shift toward addressing social determinants of criminal behavior — housing, mental health and employment — and noted outcomes data and partnerships with mental-health providers as key program elements. Officials said the city has expanded goals and is monitoring outcomes to evaluate continued investment.
