Mar 1, 2010

The CJC Turns One!

Since opening its doors on March 3, 2009, the San Francisco Community Justice Center (CJC), serving the Tenderloin, Civic Center, Union Square and SOMA neighborhoods, has heard the cases of more than 1,800 defendants.

The CJC Service Center has engaged 800 clients in social services, including drug treatment, mental health treatment, primary care, employment and education services, and housing services. Sixty-four percent of assessed CJC clients have serious substance abuse problems, and nearly half are at risk for homelessness, financial troubles, and mental health issues.

In its first nine months of operation, the CJC processed 900 misdemeanor citation cases, decreasing the the median time between citation and arraignment from 45 days to 4 days. The CJC is the only community court in California hearing serious case types, including nonviolent felonies and probation revocation cases. The felony caseload increased from 17 percent of all cases in June to 33 percent of cases in November.

The average appearance rate for CJC clients is 73 percent.

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