The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is proud to announce that Los Angeles County has been selected as one of 20 national sites to participate in the MacArthur Foundation Safety and Justice Challenge.

  L.A. County was chosen following a highly competitive selection process that drew applications from nearly 200 jurisdictions from 45 states. The Safety and Justice Challenge competition supports jurisdictions across the country seeking to create more just and effective local justice systems that improve public safety, save taxpayer money, and yield better outcomes.

“Nearly 200 diverse jurisdictions responded to our challenge, reflecting nationwide interest in reducing over-incarceration,” said Julia Stasch, President of the MacArthur Foundation. “Each of the sites selected has demonstrated the motivation, collaboration, and commitment needed to make real change in their local justice systems. We hope their local efforts will model effective and safe alternatives to the incarceration status quo for the rest of the country.”

The grant creates an opportunity, under the leadership of the LASD, for Los Angeles County criminal justice stakeholders to participate in an intensive six month planning process aimed at developing strategies to reevaluate current processes and procedures and consider ways to reduce reliance on incarceration while also promoting the safety of the community.

The initiative will allow the Sheriff’s Department to work with national experts and consider new thinking and proven best practices that can enhance efficiency, fairness and fiscal prudence in one of the nation’s largest jail, superior court and prosecutorial systems.

“I have long believed that law enforcement and corrections leaders can and should constantly reevaluate how we limit the use of our jails, as well as our justice system, to those who truly need to be removed from the community. We owe it to our community to promote the highest standards of public safety, while also not incarcerating individuals who simply need treatment or support.

This grant – and the national network Los Angeles County will become part of – will afford us an unparalleled opportunity to learn from national experts and technical assistant providers, as we work with our justice system partners, community groups and County leaders to consider new ways to approach our criminal justice and incarceration policies and practices,” stated Sheriff Jim McDonnell.

Sheriff McDonnell continued: “We thank the MacArthur Foundation for the opportunity to be a participant in this important national endeavor.  Through the support of the MacArthur Foundation, we will be better able to evaluate and reassess justice system policies and practices in areas including policing practices, diversion strategies, reentry planning, case processing, risk assessment tools, and post-conviction supervision.”

Additional information about the selected jurisdictions, as well as news, research, and events related to the Safety and Justice Challenge, is available at www.SafetyandJusticeChallenge.org.