New
The Santa Monica Homeless
Community Court is scheduled to conduct its first session on Friday, February
2, 2007. The Court will hear the cases
of chronically homeless individuals cited with “presence” crimes in
The goal of the Court is to
use the criminal justice system to link homeless persons to services designed
to move these individuals off the streets and reduce the likelihood that they
will be rearrested.
Participants in the court
will be expected to participate in services, demonstrate progress toward ending
their homelessness, and possibly perform community service in order to avoid
jail.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has provided funding for case management, substance abuse treatment, mental health services, emergency shelter and transportation in support of the Court. The Court will also serve homeless persons who are on the way to ending their homelessness, but for whom outstanding citations or warrants constitute a barrier to greater self-sufficiency and independent living.