Alameda County Justice Restoration Project (ACJRP)

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

In January 2018, District Attorney Nancy O’Malley and her office broke new ground by piloting a partnership of county and community leaders to create, fund, and implement the nationally recognized Alameda County Justice Restoration Project ''ACJRP.'' ACJRP is based on DA O'Malley’s vision of reducing recidivism by offering peer support services in lieu of traditional incarceration, prosecution, sentencing, and supervision. ACJRP is a unique effort to break the cycle of recidivism afflicting much of our nation by offering an alternative to incarceration that provides a second chance for low level felony repeat offenders through individualized peer support, navigation to vital services, such as behavioral health/substance abuse services, and successful pathways to employment, education, and housing. For those who successfully complete the 24-month program, their felony conviction is erased, which is an important part of an opportunity for a bright future. ACJRP’s use of an independent professional evaluator has provided consistent statistical evidence that ACJRP’s approach to reducing recidivism does break the cycle of destructive behavior and incarceration. In coming together to build and implement ACJRP we are also discovering and eliminating specific barriers to an individual’s successful return to the community. In addition to establishing the value of program accountability, ACJRP has become a model for improved service delivery, as well as better data collection, analysis, and sharing. ACJRP also promotes enlightened views of criminal justice outcomes.