Jail Allliance with Supports (JAWS) Diversion Program for Inmates with Mental Illness

About the Program

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

Year: 2011

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Jail Alliance with Supports Program (JAWS) seeks to intervene with incarcerated inmates who have a mental illness to provide for their safety and promote public safety by providing pre-release planning for transition into the community. This post-book jail diversion program accomplishes this end by identifying inmates with a severe mental illness, housing them within a specialized area in the jail, and providing “Treatment Readiness Programming” in an attempt to increase their motivation or participate in treatment when returned to the community. Following their successful completion of this curriculum program, caseworkers then approach the Court to seek an expedited jail release so that the post-release community-based treatment plan can be initiated.