Thurston County law and justice stakeholders announced on Monday, Oct. 21, the upcoming launch of the Thurston County Court Alternative Program (TC-CAP) on Dec. 1, 2024. The program will take an individualized approach to supporting community members involved in the justice system.
TC-CAP aims to create a collaborative environment where partners within the justice system and local providers can address specific needs of community members, according to a news release. The program is a hybrid model of San Diego’s Homeless Court and is designed to connect patrons to a community-based service provider in order to address the “underlying root cause” of their criminal behavior, the release stated.
“By connecting participants to the services they need, the program will limit or prevent further involvement in the justice system. In cases involving non-felony charges, public safety is often best served when people are given the opportunity and support they need to stop committing crime,” Thurston County Prosecutor Jon Tunheim said in the release. “Not only does this program support positive outcomes and reduce the risk of recidivism for program participants, but it also helps reduce strain on district court and attorney caseloads.”
Individuals can be eligible for the program if they are indigent and have a qualifying or gross misdemeanor. Program participation is voluntary, and referrals can be made by the individual’s prosecutor and public defender.
Initial service providers include: Olympic Health & Recovery Services — Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), Catholic Community Services — Arrest and Jail Alternatives (AJA) Program and Capital Recovery Center. The program’s capacity will initially serve 10 participants at a time.
