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El Paso County's Criminal Justice Coordination Department wins national accreditation, county leaders say
Summary
The county—s Criminal Justice Coordination Department (CJC) earned national accreditation from the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA). County officials said the department met all standards with no required corrective action and is the seventh program nationally and the first in Texas to receive the award.
The El Paso County Criminal Justice Coordination Department (CJC) was nationally accredited by the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA), the commissioners court recognized Oct. 27.
Catherine Jones, criminal justice director, told the court the department met all NAPSA standards and received accreditation with no action plans required. Jones said the accreditation process involved a multi-year refinement of policies and operations and culminated in a site visit and evaluation by NAPSA assessors.
"We came away 100% in compliance," Jones said during the presentation, adding that the honor is "a testament" to staff and county support. County administration staff and commissioners praised the department for evidence-based pretrial practices and the addition of a reentry unit in December 2022.
Why it matters: The accreditation recognizes county procedures for pretrial assessment and supervision and signals the county's use of evidence-based practices in pretrial decision-making. County officials said the CJC is the seventh such program in the nation and the first in Texas to achieve NAPSA accreditation.
Details and next steps: Joel Bishop, deputy county administrator, said the accreditation will raise the county—s national profile and that the program will be included in national trainings and conferences. Commissioners noted the department—s role in keeping people who do not need detention out of jail and in building continuum-of-care services through reentry programs.
Formal action: The commissioners court adopted a resolution recognizing the CJC—s national accreditation. The resolution was moved and seconded and the court announced the motion carries.
