The workgroup’s purpose is to update, innovate and improve upon efforts to divert and/or deflect individuals from the criminal justice system as appropriate.
Prior CJCC strategies deliberately prioritized alternative to jail for lower level charges that were most frequently booked and that disparately impacted communities of color, and supported law enforcement’s increasing use of community-based services like the Tri-County Crisis Stabilization Center so people can get the help they need without falling deeper into the criminal justice system. These changes fundamentally changed jail use in Charleston County. In addition, the CJCC utilized data to better understand drivers of local jail use as well as the familiar face population, individuals who cycle in and out of the local jail frequently.