Report Provides Comprehensive Analysis of Program Development,
Challenges, and Achievements from 2013 to Present
(Woodland, CA) – August 2, 2017 – District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced the release of a comprehensive “Four-Year Report on Neighborhood Court.” Initially developed by the District Attorney in 2013, in collaboration with community members and civic leaders, Neighborhood Court (NHC) is a criminal diversion program that is dedicated to finding more effective ways to deal with low-level offenses in Yolo County communities, than the typical offerings of the severely impacted “one-size-fits-all” criminal justice system. Neighborhood Court utilizes restorative justice principles while involving community members to resolve criminal cases outside of the traditional court system.
A few highlights of the report include:
* NHC has resolved over 1,261 criminal cases since its launch in 2013;
* NHC is staffed by over 200 citizen volunteers from Davis, West Sacramento and Woodland;
* NHC has an 89% completion rate;
* A recent independent evaluation of NHC, completed in March of 2017, found that the recidivism rate for NHC participants was an incredibly low 4%!
The report addresses the program structure, analyzes participants and outcomes, explores the process for integration of this program into the current criminal justice system, discusses community engagement and outreach, reviews annual goals and achievements, examines challenges and policy recommendations, and presents the program’s future goals and intentions.
City of Davis Mayor Robb Davis noted that, “Neighborhood Court strengthens our city and enables citizens to engage in an approach to justice that builds accountability and offers a way for harms caused by crime to be made right.”
District Attorney Jeff Reisig stated, “Neighborhood Court is an outstanding example of innovative and effective local criminal justice reform. The success of the NHC program is wholly thanks to the support of community members, partners, public officials, stakeholders, and volunteers who have donated time, resources, and passion to this mission!”
To read the full report, visit: https://yoloda.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/NHC-4-yr-Report.pdf. To find out more about the Neighborhood Court program, visit www.yoloda.org/nc or email NeighborhoodCourt@yolocounty.org.
###
