Community Court Fact Sheet
From March of 2005 through December of 2009, over 5,436 defendants completed 49,436 community service hours helping 25 community organizations restore neighborhoods and serve others in need.
Participants are identified at point of entry and are given the option to participate in Seattle Community Court if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Community Court Phases
| Phase | PILOT PHASE | STABILIZATION PHASE | EXPANSION PHASE PART1 (BJA Grant Expansion) | EXPANSION PHASE PART 2(Dispositional Continuances) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Period | March 2005-December 2005 | January, 2006-December, 2006 | January, 2007-December, 2008 | January, 2009-present |
| Geographic Scope | Downtown Commercial Core | Downtown Commercial Core | Entire City | Entire City |
| Disposition Types | Guilty Plea & Conviction | Guilty Plea & Conviction | Guilty Plea & Conviction Pretrial Diversion | Guilty Plea & Conviction Pretrial Diversion Dispositional Continuances |
| Annual Number of Defendants | 2005 228 |
2006 291 |
2007 2008 896 852 |
2009 1000+ |
| Community Service Partners | Two | Two | Sixteen | Twenty Three+ |
| Community Service Supervision | Provided by Site | Provided by Site | AmeriCorps Team & Provided by Site | AmeriCorps Team & Provided by Site |
Community Court Plea Defendants
Those with past criminal histories who opt into the program appear before the Community Court judge. Assessed for social service needs, they are required to make social services linkages in addition to completing community service hours. From March 3, 2005 to December 31, 2009, there were 3,391 defendants who opted in to Community Court and this group completed 36,022 community service hours. Defendants are able to enter the program up to three times with their required hours increased each time according to the sentencing framework.
Community Court, "I feel was above and beyond any experience I've ever had." - Community Court Participant
| 1st Community Court Case | 2nd Community Court Case | 3rd Community Court Case | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Misdemeanor | Community Service | 2 days | 4 days | 6 days |
| Jail Alternative | 5 days | 10 days | 15 days | |
| Misdemeanor | Community Service | 2 days | 3 days | 4 days |
| Jail Alternative | 4 days | 6 days | 8 days |
Community Court Demographics
- 69% were male, 31% female and the average age was 41
- 39% were successful in meeting their court mandates
- 48% of defendants were Caucasian, 29% African-American, 10% Native American, 7% Hispanic, 4% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2% Other/Unknown
- 56% of defendants were homeless. The average length of homelessness for this population is 15 years.
- 65% are Chemically Dependant
- 82% were unemployed; the average length of unemployment is 5.5 years.
- Community Court eligible participant offenses:
- Theft - 53%
- Trespass - 19%
- FTR- Civil Infraction - 12%
- Prostitution - 5%
- Other Offenses - 10%
Pretrial Diversion Program
First time offenders who commit diversion-eligible crimes are given an opportunity to have their charges dismissed and retain a clean criminal record. Those who opt in required to complete eight hours of community service helping to restore neighborhoods. They are also screened for social services needs, and, if necessary, must make linkages with organizations and programs that help them overcome their problems.
From the beginning of 2007 through December 31, 2009, 2,045 first time offenders opted into the Pretrial Diversion Program and completed 13,414 hours of community service
Pretrial Diversion Demographics
- 65% were male, 35% female
- 80% were successful in meeting their court mandates, 7% of cases are pending
- 62% of defendants were Caucasian, 16% African-American, 1% Native American, 2% Hispanic, 11% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 8% Other/Unknown
- Pretrial eligible participant offenses:
- Theft - 61%
- Patronizing a Prostitute - 6%
- Trespass - 6%
- Minor Exhibiting Effects/Consuming/Possessing Alcohol - 4%
- Prostitution - 2%
- Other Offenses - 24%
