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6.2.

The ARI Program positively impacts Will County in numerous ways. ARI was
designed with cost-effectiveness in mind from the start. The program improves
operations while reducing costs to the County in several ways: reduced court costs
through the efficiency of specialized dockets, reduced recidivism, fewer jail days, and
increased social productivity.
ARI expedites case processing, reducing the countys expenses. ARI cases,
which involve Class 2, 3 and 4 felonies, are disposed of by placement onto the
specialized dockets of Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court and Adult
Redeploy. Because all dispositions involve a plea of guilty in order to take responsibility
for their actions, no trials occur and no jury expenses are incurred. In addition, no
presentence investigations through Adult Probation, which result in an additional six to
eight weeks in jail, are needed. Faster case processing translates into lower courtroom
caseloads for judges, prosecutors, and public defenders, and furthers the interests of
fairness.
By expediting the 86 individuals currently receiving ARI services to date, we
reduce the above mentioned overall County costs. The recidivism rate for Drug, Mental
Health, and Veterans Court is about 20%. If these same individuals are successful in
the Adult Redeploy Program, their recidivism is reduced by an additional 20%, reducing
it to 16%. Assuming these same 86 individuals went to IDOC, at a recidivism rate of
75%, 65 would reoffend and return to the Will County Adult Detention Facility. For
many, a public defender represents them at the initial bond hearing, the preliminary
hearing, the arraignment and the often numerous pretrial dates. It takes almost 60 days
to get to the first of the pretrial dates, 90 days to get to an agreed plea agreement and
much longer for multiple pretrial dates or a trial. With costs an approximate $95 per
day, at 90 days in custody, the cost to the County is $8,550 per participant for a total
of $555,750. The recidivism cost of the graduates of the program would be
$119,700. This provides a net savings to Will County of $436,000 in this recidivist
category alone.
Adult Redeploy generates tremendous savings to the County by enrolling
participants in Medicaid managed care and linking them with Medicaid-covered
substance abuse and medical treatment. Treatment for the uninsured is made possible
through an additional $54,000 in ARI grant funds, funds that would otherwise be used
from the Drug Court budget.
Adult Redeploys greatest cost savings to the County comes from treating
habitual offenders in order to reduce their substance abuse, increase social productivity,
and reduce recidivism. By treating individuals with some of the highest rates of
nonviolent criminal activity in Will County, ARI generates enormous benefits. ARI
participants have an average of 5 prior felony convictions, each incurring all the

Attachment: ARI Court Impact on Will County (3404 : Presentation Re: Adult Re Deploy Lack of Funding)

Adult Redeploy Illinois Program Impact on Will County

attendant costs to police, prosecutors, courts, jails, and prisons, not to mention
communities and families.
Due to their chemical dependence, ARI participants spend an extraordinary
amount of money on illegal drugs. Participants report spending between $25 to $100
daily on illegal drugs. In other words, prior to ARI, participants spent on drugs from
$9,125 to $36,500 per person per year--and from $785 thousand to $3.1 million
annually for the entire cohort. With high unemployment rates at intake, it is fair to say
that ARI participants use crime in Will County communities to support their addiction.
Stopping this destructive cycle is plainly crucial to Will County.
ARI not only reduces criminal behavior, but also increases social productivity
through a number of measures, including increased employment, community service,
reengagement with family, educational enrollment, and/or access to entitlements that
shift the burden of financial support away from County institutions.
Will County was awarded the Adult Redeploy Illinois Grant for SFY16 in the
amount of $302,615. Because of the budget impasse, to date we have received no
funding. Although Governor Rauner has proposed an increase in the funding to Adult
Redeploy for SFY17, I anticipate that our grant for SFY17 would remain at a
maintenance level. I would anticipate that the funding necessary from July 1, 2016
through November 30th, 2016 would be $126,100 for a total of $428,715. Only the
SFY16 approved grant amount was appropriated into the 2016 Will County Drug Court
Budget. However, an additional $225,000 was appropriated into anticipated new
expenses hoping for an increase in the grant.
In order for the Adult Redeploy Grant program to continue we would need
$278,000. This reduced amount is because of unspent funds for travel and medication
and because one staff member is on maternity leave and did not have enough accrued
sick time. If the budget impasse continues until November of 2016, as we expect it may,
we would also need the approved amount for the 5 months of the SFY17 Adult
Redeploy Illinois Grant, not included in the Will County 2016 fiscal year budget. That
grant, as surreal as it seems is being written now. I could reappear before the Judicial
and Finance Committees of the Will County Board to update you on the grant process
and the news from Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, our granting Agency.
FYI:
Senate Bill 2059
We are looking for any funding solutions for this fiscal year, up to and including the passage of a
balanced SFY16 budget. Last week, the Senate passed a bill, SB2059 (based on one in the
House, HB2990), which includes $8.5 million in SFY16 funds for Adult Redeploy Illinois. This bill
will be taken up by the House when it is back in session the first week of April. If passed in the
House, it will then be sent to the Governor. Please be aware that this may be a long shot, and it
is not a long-term solution.

Attachment: ARI Court Impact on Will County (3404 : Presentation Re: Adult Re Deploy Lack of Funding)

6.2.a

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