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Bexar County staff outlines diversion, deflection and investments as jail population pressures continue
Summary
County staff told commissioners that deflection (pre‑arrest) and diversion (post‑arrest) programs have reduced projected jail population growth; presenters cited program data, ARPA and opioid funding, and recommended addressing dual magistration, capacity, and long‑term funding to sustain gains.
County staff presented a multipart briefing to Commissioners Court April 28, laying out the county’s current deflection and diversion strategies and the funding and capacity challenges that could blunt those efforts.
Thomas Guevara of the county manager’s office defined deflection as interventions before arrest and diversion as programs after arrest but before conviction, and explained the county’s portfolio — cite‑and‑release, specialty courts, GPS supervision, residential and outpatient treatment, and the SMART crisis team. Guevara told the court that the jail population on April 27 was 4,685, down from 4,975 the same day last year, and that the county recently approved an MOU with the Center for Healthcare Services for a competency‑restoration program targeting 80 people.
Antonio Salazar Rosas, pretrial services manager, gave figures for a County Court 2 pilot with Continuum: of 226 referrals, 109 were engaged in programming, 55 had completed outpatient treatment and remained in the community, and 59 needed higher levels of care or had cases adjudicated or dismissed. Staff repeatedly said recidivism and days‑to‑rearrest are primary program metrics.
Public‑health director Dr. Andrea Guerrero reviewed public‑health investments that complement criminal‑justice diversion, noting that many programs have been built with American Rescue Plan Act and opioid‑settlement funds. Guerrero told the court that inpatient psychiatric bed contracts and residential treatment are largely ARPA or opioid funded, and that the county will need plans to replace one‑time funding when those streams expire.
Multiple commissioners pressed staff on scale and cost. Commissioner Rodriguez and others discussed the importance of ending dual magistration — the current city/county two‑step booking process — which staff said creates delays that often miss early diversion opportunities. Commissioners and staff flagged three priority areas: (1) sustaining the SMART mobile crisis teams and similar deflection resources; (2) increasing bed and treatment capacity where state funding or contracting constraints allow; and (3) improving cross‑agency intake procedures so police and prosecutors can triage cases in the field.
Judge Sakai said the court will reconvene a stakeholder committee to coordinate next steps and tasked staff to return with details on program performance and funding options.
