September 30, 2021 2:45 p.m.
SANTA MONICA, California – This month the Santa Monica City District Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the Santa Monica Police Department and Exodus, launched the Santa Monica site of the Los Angeles County-funded Pre-Detection Alternative to Detention Program. This is the city’s newest rerouting program, linking detainees who themselves report having homelessness, substance abuse, or mental health problems to an alternative to filing a criminal complaint by instantly connecting them to an on-site service provider – Exodus.
“We’re always looking for partnerships that can help reduce relapse by addressing the underlying factors that can lead to criminal behavior. By partnering with Los Angeles County Alternatives to Incarceration and Exodus as a service provider, we can help vulnerable people get access to the support they need, ”said Jenna Grigsby, the city’s assistant prosecutor who heads the prosecution’s criminal department.
Exodus is embedded in the Santa Monica Jail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for reviewing those posted to determine eligibility. Certain charges and criminal records preclude participation in the program. Based on the identified needs, Exodus will describe the program, including the accommodation or treatment options available to the candidate. If a candidate accepts the program, Exodus will arrange for immediate transportation from the prison to the place of residence or treatment. A case manager is assigned to the participant and a care plan is drawn up. If the participant follows the care plan, their criminal case will not be initiated after 90 days. If the participant refuses the program or participation in the care plan, criminal proceedings will be initiated.
More information is available at https://www.smgov.net/departments/cao/criminal.aspx.
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