Sedgwick County Reports Fewer Inmates as More Offenders are Referred to Alternatives to Detention

Sedgwick County's Day Reporting Center, operated by BI Incorporated, has helped reduce jail population and recidivism rates, saving county resources.

Wichita, KS (PRWEB) August 26, 2010

After a serious review of its jail overcrowding population issues and implementing a number of alternatives to detention in recent years, Sedgwick County is seeing positive results. At a recent county commissioner meeting, the county manager announced 4 percent fewer inmates were being housed in the jail this year when compared to last year, yielding savings for the county and slowing the need for future jail expansion.

Several years ago, as part of its comprehensive plan to reduce jail overcrowding and incorporate research-based alternatives to detention, Sedgwick County selected BI Incorporated to operate an innovative Day Reporting Center. The Sedgwick County DRC provides a mix of services, including intensive case management, cognitive-behavioral treatment, and training to help break the cycle of recidivism.

The county’s average daily population at the jail from January through May dropped from 1,603 inmates to 1,541 when compared to the same time frame last year. The DRC census grew from 132 to 301 in the same comparison. The county considers this successful in two ways: the DRC costs about one-third the $66.20 daily expense to house an inmate in jail and treatment at the DRC is successful in reducing recidivism rates.

For example, individuals who successfully complete the DRC program are less likely to be rearrested. One study reviewed the arrest record for 84 clients who had been successfully discharged from the DRC program after 24 months. Of the 84, 39 had no arrests after discharge. In total, the arrest rate for the 84 had dropped 46.5 percent when compared to a 24-month period before discharge from the DRC.

“As the Sedgwick County DRC matures, we are obtaining evidence that offender risk is being reduced when they participate in the DRC programs,” said John Thurston, BI Vice President of Reentry and Supervision Services. “We’re pleased that the county is seeing the results it hoped for and that this is helping to reduce pressure on the jail and lower costs.”

The Sedgwick County DRC was one of the first alternatives to detention the county implemented as part of the county’s Criminal Justice Comprehensive Master Plan developed by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. This plan acknowledged that the county was constantly facing jail overcrowding, rising costs, and recidivism problems, and offered strategies for correcting these issues.

The Sedgwick County Day Reporting Center manages a mix of participants, including offenders referred to the center instead of incarceration; sentenced offenders who are serving out the remainder of their sentences in the community; individuals who have violated probation; and pretrial defendants. The Sedgwick County DRC is open six days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

About BI Incorporated (http://www.bi.com)
Established in 1978, BI Incorporated is the leading technology, treatment and supervision company in community corrections today. BI contracts with approximately 900 governmental agencies nationwide, supporting them with a full continuum of intensive supervision technologies and community-based cognitive behavioral reentry programs for adult and juvenile offenders. BI’s ISO-certified national monitoring center, owned and operated by BI, provides 24/7 expert support supervision services exclusively for governmental agencies. BI works closely with local public corrections officials to cost effectively reduce recidivism, promote public safety, and strengthen the communities it serves using evidence-based practices in a community setting.

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