New Pilot Program Aims To Increase Court Appearances Through Rideshare, Cellphone Initiatives In Spokane County

Press release from the Spokane County Government:

January 4, 2022

SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. – The Spokane County region is the recipient of a $700,000 grant by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to continue building on efforts to safely reduce jail population, increase community engagement, and address racial and ethnic disparities.

This funding brings the Foundation’s total investment in Spokane County to $4,450,000 million to date. The grant is part of the Safety and Justice Challenge, a national initiative to reduce over-incarceration by changing the way America thinks about and uses jails.

The award includes $50,000 in funding for a rideshare initiative and over $33,000 for a cell phone initiative. The Spokane region struggles with high failure to appear rates in court. A 2019 focus group conducted with currently incarcerated individuals in Spokane County identified reasons
for missed court appearances, including lack of access to reliable transportation, lost court paperwork, conflicts with hourly work schedules, childcare conflicts, and mental health crises.

These pilot programs are designed to lower barriers to court access and participation, which will ultimately save taxpayer dollars and enhance individual stability in the community.

This press release was produced by the Spokane County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.