Board reviews electronic home detention and community corrections statistics; user-fee balance up sharply

At its Dec. 12 meeting the local JRAAC board received quarterly program reports showing steady program activity and a substantial increase in user-fee revenue.

Staff reported electronic home detention supervised 136 individuals in the third quarter, with 31 completed cases, six terminations for technical violations and about 100 still under supervision at quarter end; the program collected $81,501.65 in fees during the quarter. A separate report showed community corrections programs serving roughly 500 people total, including about 179 participants in treatment court and approximately 198 in work release; work release capacity was described as 200 beds.

Financial staff reported a user-fee balance of $774,066 and said the FY2023 audit returned zero findings. Board members attributed increased fee collections largely to a fee increase that took effect Jan. 1, 2024, and to program compliance incentives that make privileges contingent on staying current with fees. Staff said they distinguish between participants who cannot pay and those who refuse to pay and that they offer flexibility when appropriate (for example, adjusting expectations when deductions such as child support reduce a participant’s ability to pay).

Board members requested that staff add a quarterly report item tracking community-service hours and host agencies; staff agreed to provide that data in future meeting packets. In response to an earlier request staff later reported an 87% collection rate for JRAC-related fees during the quarter.

The reports were informational; no formal action was taken on the program metrics at the Dec. 12 meeting.