A county program that connects people coming out of  jail with support services has seen a significant decrease in re-arrests by participants in its first year compared to the general population.

This is amidst discussions by the county to bring services like medical care and shelter to a jail-adjacent 11,000-square-foot facility.

The Pima County Transition Center opened 15 months ago and primarily serves people arrested on non-violent, non-dangerous misdemeanor charges. It aims to redefine the way people coming out of jail are reintegrated into the community.

The center’s focus is on reducing repeat arrests and improving court attendance and by connecting participants with essential resources. Officials said last week that its efforts have already made an impact on public safety and cost savings.

The center served more than 1,100 people in its first year, with 99% using at least one of the services offered to them, according to the center’s first year report.

Rearrest rates within the first 30 days of release dropped to 10%, compared to a pre-transition center rate of 27%. A control group of people not released through the transition center during its first year saw one-month rearrest rates as high as 28%.

The decrease alone is a big win, according to county officials.

“One of our primary functions was to reduce the amount of people that are getting rearrested,” said Deputy Pima County Administrator Steve Holmes during last week’s board of supervisors meeting.

The center primarily serves people with charges like petty theft and trespassing, connecting them to resources that can help prevent re-offending, like treatment, housing, employment and transportation.

The center is staffed by Justice Navigators who have lived experience in the criminal justice system and can help connect participants with services and provide general re-entry support.

This focus on support, rather than punishment, has yielded both social and financial benefits, with Holmes telling supervisors that the center has netted significant savings that directly benefit the community.

In its first year, the center saved taxpayers more than $80,000 in booking fees, with 158 fewer bookings than the previous year.

Businesses near the jail have also noticed a positive shift, reporting fewer incidents of shoplifting and loitering — indicators that the center’s presence is having a broader impact on the surrounding area, Holmes said.

Given its success, demand for the center’s services is growing, but it’s not yet able to ramp up the number of people it can serve.

Staffing limitations mean the center operates only on weekdays, but the county says expanding to a 7-day-a-week operation is a top priority. This would create a more efficient partnership between the center's staff and initial appearance judges, who decide a person’s conditions of release from jail.

Tucson Spotlight previously reported that Pima County Justice Services moved into the vacant Mission Annex building around the corner from the jail over the summer. The annex, on South Mission Road, is a former minimum-security jail facility that was repurposed as a cooling center.

Cooling centers provide water, snacks, and a place for people to cool off, but county officials say the building’s potential is much greater. There are already talks of converting it to a warming center for use during deep freeze warnings. 

Justice Services Director Kate Vesely envisions the 11,152-square-foot annex as a "one-stop shop" for vulnerable individuals, offering not only immediate needs like food, hydration, and legal aid, but also a safe space for long-term support.

“The more we can provide stable shelter and support, the better the opportunity to reduce homelessness and crime,” Vesely said during the meeting.

Discussions are ongoing with Pima County Superior Court and Pretrial Services to potentially relocate some services to the annex, further expanding its role.

Holmes said during the meeting that adding more emergency shelter space is critical and that the county is seeking grants, collaborations and other funding opportunities.

Despite the challenges in staffing and shelter availability, Holmes said the center has garnered support from a range of local stakeholders, including businesses, law enforcement, and the judiciary. 

“This is preliminary data, but it shows we’re on the right track and can really make a difference for those individuals who shouldn’t be in jail for misdemeanors,” said Supervisor Sylvia Lee.

Program participant Natalia expressed her gratitude for the support she received, which she said gave her hope to overcome her struggles, in a letter she wrote to Transition Center staff that was shared during the meeting.

As the center prepares for its second year, assessing its effectiveness through data collection and outside evaluations will be pivotal to its success going forward, Holmes said, stressing that securing “sustainable funding” is critical.

With much of the center’s current support coming from American Rescue Plan Act funding, which expires in June, time is of the essence.

“The need for ongoing funding is urgent to ensure that these programs continue to thrive and make a meaningful impact,” Holmes said.

Angelina Maynes is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and reporter with Tucson Spotlight. Contact her at angelinamaynes@arizona.edu.

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