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Consultants urge El Paso County to expand early screening and remote processing to cut unnecessary jail admissions
Summary
A Center for Effective Public Policy review recommended four front‑end reforms — universal DIM screening for eligible cases, remote case processing, restructuring booking/custody transfer, and stronger adversarial first appearances — to reduce transports, shorten custody times and lower costs. Commissioners asked for implementation plans and cost estimates.
A national consultant team presented an independent front‑end review of El Paso County’s pretrial justice processes July 13 and recommended a package of reforms aimed at reducing unnecessary jail bookings and shortening time in custody.
Tara Blair of the Center for Effective Public Policy outlined four principal recommendations: expand the use of prosecutor screening (DIMS) to 100% of eligible cases; implement remote case processing where feasible so probable‑cause determinations and pretrial interviews can occur without transport; restructure booking and custody transfer so medical screening occurs immediately and custody transfers to the sheriff earlier; and strengthen initial adversarial first‑appearance hearings (Article 15.17) so prosecutors and defense counsel can participate with defined charges within 24–48 hours of booking.
“Universal DIMS screening prevents legally insufficient cases from entering the jail, reduces unnecessary transports and supports consistency in charging,” Blair said. She noted that at the time of the review a little more than 40% of eligible cases were screened by DIMS and that increasing screening would measurably reduce jail admissions.
Joel Bishop of county administration and Blair discussed operational implications, including how remote magistration and remote interviews by Criminal Justice Coordination staff could shorten custody time and reduce transport burdens for law enforcement. County staff and commissioners asked about staffing and cost: County budget staff confirmed the county has invested in systems and is evaluating what additional technology and compensation might be necessary to increase night and weekend coverage for prosecutors and public defenders.
Commissioners pressed for implementation details and a dollars‑and‑cents estimate. Blair and county staff described existing local strengths — 24/7 magistrations, validated risk assessments, and structured pretrial services — and recommended forming workgroups through the Justice Leadership Council to develop implementation plans, staffing models and phased timelines.
Data cited by the consultants showed the county already releases a high share of arrestees — the report noted roughly 89% of booked individuals were released within 72 hours — suggesting that many bookings could be avoided entirely with earlier screening and the expanded use of citations and summonses for low‑level offenses.
Next steps: Commissioners asked staff to form workgroups to evaluate costs and staffing for the recommended changes and to return with options, including potential budget impacts and implementation timelines.
