Skip to main content

Work Groups

Below is a list of our active work groups under the Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC). These work groups focus on addressing specific gaps or issues in the community and criminal justice system to inform CJAC.

Office of Homelessness & Criminal Justice Reform

385-468-7092

2001 South State Street , Ste S2-100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84190

CJAC Committee Contact

385-468-7092

Current Work Groups

Mission Statement:

Increase collaboration across police departments, evaluate best practices regarding crisis response for law enforcement officers and reduce high utilization of emergency and crisis responders by communication across agencies. 

Goals of the Community Crisis Response Team: 

  • Increased collaboration regarding the community response and needs for the high utilizers across Salt Lake County. 
  • Create streamlined systemic response between law enforcement and community resources 
  • Resource assessment and education on current resources  
  • Identify holes and gaps in long term help for this population 
  • Increased communication between agencies regarding the continual police response required for certain citizens 
  • Create policies across the county for mental health response and coding 

Mission Statement:

Early evidence-based intervention prevents youth delinquency, violence, justice-involvement and promotes resiliency. This group was formed to understand the intersection between schools, law enforcement, the courts and their touch points with at-risk and offending youth, bridging gaps between silos and addressing prevention needs across the county.

Objective:

Create a cross-system collaborative space around juvenile justice to engage in constructive conversations focused on overcoming barriers, enhancing collaboration, and implementing solutions that engage and support youth.

Action Items:

  1. System mapping between schools and the justice system
  2. Addressing the challenges of violent crime committed by youth.
  3. Bolstering and securing diversion efforts across the county.
  4. Promoting and enhancing access to youth courts.

Mission Statement:

This long-standing workgroup focuses primarily on legal analysis including state statute, federal law, and local ordinances of the criminal justice system. The goal of the group is to guide the criminal justice system through creative policy solutions and proactive legislative tracking.

Objective:

Evaluate and improve criminal legal processes and practices to promote diversion, equity, community safety, and effective rehabilitation.

Action Items:

  1. Systematically improve processes for individuals with cases in multiple jurisdictions across the County.
  2. Actively track legislation that affects the criminal justice system.
  3. Support the legal analysis in implementing the Justice Accountability Center.

Mission Statement:

As individuals reentry society, they face many barriers in securing housing, employment and services. This workgroup was established to bring criminal justice and behavioral health partners together to remove barriers and enhance community solutions.

Objective:

Leveraging data to comprehensively address the barriers faced by individuals transitioning from incarceration. Through partnerships with public, private and nonprofit organizations, we aim to enhance access to essential resources and career pathways for those reentering the community. We advocate for policy changes that foster successful reintegration.

Action Items:

  1. Provide identification for those released from incarceration
  2. Identify additional resources for reentry services

Mission Statement:

This group seeks to bridge the gap between homeless service providers and criminal justice partners to better understand those who are experiencing homelessness and criminal justice involvement. This group operates in connection with CJAC and Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness (SLVCEH).

Objective:

To ensure the safety and protect the rights of those experiencing homelessness and their communities.

Action Items:

  1. Create protocols to ensure law enforcement and service providers follow HMIS rules, while ensuring rights are protected.
  2. Create protocols for agencies who choose to utilize Xchange in their program.
  3. Increase information and data sharing, collection and quality.
  4. Increase collaboration across different sectors.