PHOENIX, Ariz. (KNXV) — In the two and a half years since its inception, more than 1,000 people have been through Phoenix’s Community Court system, aimed at addressing the key issues facing homelessness and justice recidivism.
ABC15 first toured the Community Court when it began in January 2024. Since then, city leaders are saying the program has been effective in getting people into housing and keeping people out of a revolving door to the criminal justice system.
"This isn't a court where we're out looking for people to come into the community court. We're catching people that are already going through the justice system and trying to connect them to these resources,” Dept. Director of Homeless Solutions Scott Hall said.
Of the 1,023 participants, the city said 411 people obtained transitional or permanent housing, 201 people were connected to mental health or substance use treatment, and only 18 people returned to the court system within a year of graduation from the program.
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"It is a much harder process to go through community court than through a regular court, but it is much more transformative if they do go through community court because we can connect them to those services,” Hall said.
Councilwoman Ann O’Brien helped spearhead the program and was encouraged by the city’s update Wednesday morning.
“Having an opportunity to hold people accountable while still providing them the services that could get them back on their feet was incredibly important to me and my community members,” O’Brien said. "If somebody is saying yes to that help, yes to substance abuse help or mental health assistance, yes to getting off the streets and getting a job, then I want to make sure we have that capacity.”
The city is looking into a similar model to pilot an in-custody court program.
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