Alternatives to Incarceration Project History

On October 2021, the Board of Supervisors directed County staff to collaborate with justice and health partners, service providers, and community members, including people with lived experience in the justice system, to develop recommendations to safely reduce jail populations and promote alternatives to incarceration.

The County of San Diego has partnered with the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to analyze incarceration trends; identify priority populations to focus on; analyze the needs, gaps, and barriers faced by justice-involved individuals when accessing needed services; outline best practices from other jurisdictions; solicit community input throughout the project; and develop a set of recommendations based on the data and feedback collected.

On May 23, 2023, SANDAG presented its Final Comprehensive Report to the Board of Supervisors. County staff on that date also presented related recommendations to the Board of Supervisors for supportive services and County actions to prevent people from entering jail or re-entering jail.

County staff returned to the Board of Supervisors on March 13, 2024, with updates on the County Work Plan. On that date, the Board also authorized administrative actions to stand up a Resource and Reentry Hub and locally enforce the California Fair Chance Act.