Justice Assistance Thursday, September 12, 2013

 Annual review of Management Information System (MIS) led to grant from the June Rockwell Levy Foundation to support upgrades in software and hardware.  Completed office upgrades which included new carpeting, workstations and a redesign of case managers’ workspace so as to ensure client privacy.

 Outcome analysis of domestic violence cases within the District Court has led to funding from the Rhode Island Justice Commission to continue conducting this analysis.  Following this analysis, the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General has led three training sessions for city and town solicitors on the proper method of prosecuting domestic violence cases.

 ‘Justice Assistance News’ contact list continues to be constantly revised and updated.  The redesigned and enhanced version of the organization’s webpage ( was completed in August 2013 with greater cross-pollination by means of social media.

 Continued to provide technical assistance to the Rhode Island Victim Assistance Portal and, along with the Office of the Attorney General, managed external use access.  Continued to work in partnership with the state court administration to access user end information to include previously restricted client data.

 The organization remains highlighted as a link on the state court’s webpage.  The organization continues to be represented on the Rhode Island Justice Commission.  The organization continues to be represented on the Legislative Batterers Intervention Standards Oversight Commission.

 69% of all restitution referrals paid in full the amount ordered by the court, 22% were current with their payments and 9% were referred back to the court as delinquent.  84% of all community service referrals fully completed their court ordered requirement, 15% were current with their obligation and 1% were referred back to court as delinquent.

 82% of all domestic violence referrals successfully completed their batterers intervention program.  Mental health referrals increased by 2 clients, or 2% in FY2013.  Substance abuse counseling referrals increased by 14 clients, or 7% in FY2013.

 In-house quality assurance and error-free evaluation process enters its 3 rd year – salary adjustments remain secondary to improved performance.

 Authorization for Justice Assistance to collect restitution currently in transition due to the court’s recent change within the Contractors’ Board offenses to a civil sanction.  Authorization for Justice Assistance to collect restitution of ‘Failure to Pay Wages’ cases also currently in transition due to the court’s recent change within the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training offenses to a civil sanction.

 Justice Assistance anticipates striking reduction in community service referrals as a result of the amendment to Rhode Island General Assembly Section , which changed the possession of less than one ounce of marijuana from a criminal to a civil offense. The amendment went into effect in April 2013.

 Stayed sentences are now prohibited under Supreme Court Decision No C.A. (1/91-385A), meaning that non-compliant clients are directly converted to probation. The organization can expect to see an increase in the number of non-positive program outcomes.

 Improved wages for all professional and support staff for the tenth consecutive year.  Organization continued to provide health care benefits without requiring an employee co-pay.

 Salaries exceed comparable state private sector positions by 20% and reached 95% of comparable Rhode Island public sector positions (Source: Non-Profit Management Survey, 2013).  Development staff continues to manage and monitor our direct mail annual fund campaign for optimal cost-benefit efficiencies.

 Banking/Bookkeeping user fee income increased by 3%.  Rental income decreased by 2%.

 Non-program income decreased by 15%.  Management and consulting fee contracts decreased by 54%.  Organization eliminated all external debt.

 Government support grew by 6% totaling 60% of the overall operating budget – 5% federal and 55% state.  Client fee collection increased by 3% - transactions decreased by 2%.  Special event fundraising increased by 26%.

 Held initial and very successful fundraiser for the William G. Brody Fund, which was designed to provide financial assistance for indigent clients to receive domestic violence counseling.

 Initiated OCA-ACA (Office of Community Alternatives-Affordable Care Act) Pilot Project, in conjunction with the Brown University Alpert School of Medicine and Roger Williams Law School, in an attempt to reduce recidivism rates by matching offenders with health and other social services.  Received $200,000 grant from Rhode Island General Assembly to test this model for offenders as a pre- trial condition.

 Instituted computer triage and motivational interviewing program, in conjunction with researchers at Brown Alpert School of Medicine and Roger Williams Law School, for usage in the OCA-ACA project.

 7,327 clients received program services in FY2013.  1,601 were new court-based enrollments.

 $159,141 in restitution was collected in FY2013 – an increase of 9.2%.  Restitution referrals increased by 46 clients, or 8.6% in FY2013.  The average restitution ordered per client totaled $273, the same as in FY2012.

 12,339 community service hours were ordered in FY2013 – an increase of 9.3%.  Community service referrals increased by 36 clients, or 9.3% in FY2013.  The average community service hours ordered per client totaled 25 hours, the same as in FY2012.

 326 domestic assault related offenses resulted in referrals to specialized counseling, an increase of 40 clients, or 8.8% in FY2013.  267 clients, or 82%, of all referrals successfully completed or are on target to complete their court ordered batterers’ intervention requirement.

 218 clients who committed controlled substance related offenses were referred to treatment, an increase of 14 clients or 7%.

 85 clients were referred to mental health counseling services.

 770 clients submitted victim impact/statement of loss forms.  804 clients were provided with specialized services.

 364 clients were referred to other agencies for specialized services.  1,267 clients were notified of their case status in FY2013.  732 clients were provided follow-up services and justice system orientation.

 FY2009: 1,548  FY2010: 1,258  FY2011: 1,600  FY2012: 1,748  FY2013: 1,601 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: 283  FY2010: 555  FY2011: 481  FY2012: 537  FY2013: 583 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: $137,568  FY2010: $140,089  FY2011: $128,233  FY2012: $146,451  FY2013: $159,141 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: $ 479  FY2010: $ 254  FY2011: $ 267  FY2012: $ 273  FY2013: $ 273 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

PIF C D  FY2009: 68%-22%-10%  FY2010: 64%-27%-9%  FY2011: 69%-26%-5%  FY2012: 63%-28%-9%  FY2013: 69%-22%-9% FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON Paid-in-full Current Delinquent

 FY2009: 216  FY2010: 464  FY2011: 494  FY2012: 455  FY2013: 491 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: 11,660 Hours  FY2010: 12,465 Hours  FY2011: 14,061 Hours  FY2012: 11,489 Hours  FY2013: 12,339 Hours FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: 30 Hours  FY2010: 25 Hours  FY2011: 28 Hours  FY2012: 25 Hours  FY2013: 25 Hours FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

P C NP  FY2009: 88%-9%-3%  FY2010: 74%-24%-2%  FY2011: 63%-36%-1%  FY2012: 75%-24%-1%  FY2013: 84%-15%-1% FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON Positive Current Non-Positive

 FY2009: 307  FY2010: 545  FY2011: 514  FY2012: 286  FY2013: 326 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: 94  FY2010: 203  FY2011: 205  FY2012: 204  FY2013: 218 FIVE YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: 31  FY2010: 69  FY2011: 81  FY2012: 83  FY2013: 85 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON

 FY2009: 26  FY2010: 58  FY2011: 49  FY2012: 42  FY2013: 44 FIVE-YEAR COMPARISON