A new report ranks the Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Advisory Council, known as CJAC, as one of the strongest councils of its kind in the country. The report comes from the Justice Management Institute, a national nonprofit that studies criminal justice councils across the country. JMI Program Director Thomas Eberly led a team visiting Salt Lake County July 6 through July 8 to see how CJAC gets results.
The report highlights Salt Lake County’s CJAC as:
a high-performing coordinating council and one of the strongest in the country. The council has a clear systemic purpose, current foundational documents, experienced and committed members, an exceptional staff team, and a culture of candid, respectful problem-solving that many coordinating councils never achieve. The CJAC convenes the right leaders, takes on the hardest issues facing the county’s justice system, and grounds its work in evidence to a degree that sets it apart. Members across very different vantage points described the council as valuable, well-run, and markedly more productive than in earlier periods.
CJAC brings together police, courts, behavioral health teams, and other partners. They work together to solve hard problems in the justice system.
“CJAC continues to be a national leader in creating collaborative solutions to complex criminal justice and behavioral justice challenges. We rely on innovation, data, and solutions-based outcomes that bring sustainable systemic change,” said Salt Lake County Sim Gill. “Our CJAC served as model for Utah and now as a model in the nation.”
— CJAC Chair, Sim Gill, Salt Lake County District Attorney
CJAC started in 1997. It is the oldest council of its kind in the country. For almost 30 years, county leaders have worked together to make the justice system work better for everyone in Salt Lake County.
The report says CJAC has strong leaders and a clear plan. Members can disagree and still find answers together. CJAC takes on the hardest problems in the justice system, and it backs its work with real evidence. This is rare among councils across the country.
“I have been honored to serve on CJAC for many years and to see the difference it has made in our community. By bringing together our sheriff, courts, behavioral health teams, and other dedicated partners, we have broken down barriers and found better ways to solve complex challenges. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and of the work we continue to do for the people of Salt Lake County. ”
— Mayor Jenny Wilson, Salt Lake County
The report also praised how CJAC uses data. CJAC has its own data team. That team builds tools that other agencies use every day to make better decisions for the community.
“This assessment reflects something I believe deeply: that no single agency can solve homelessness or justice system challenges alone. The CJAC’s strength comes from the partners who show up to this work, to the Judges, law enforcement, prosecutors, defenders, behavioral health providers, and community leaders who choose to think across systems rather than within their own silos. I’m also grateful for our CJAC team, whose steady, capable work is the engine that keeps this council moving and on track. It’s an honor to help facilitate this work and to see the real impact it’s having. I appreciate the Justice Management Institute’s independent, rigorous review, which offers both the affirmation that we’re a high-performing council and the clear roadmap for how we get better.”
— Anndrea Wild, Director, Salt Lake County Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform
During the visit, the JMI team toured county facilities, including the jail and the Crisis Care Center, and met with CJAC members and staff. The visit concluded on July 8 with a CJAC meeting to review the report’s findings.
About the Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform
The Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform advances solutions to the County’s criminal justice and homelessness challenges by convening county-wide partners and staffing the Criminal Justice Advisory Council and the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness. The Office conducts systems analysis, supports innovative programming, and advises the Mayor on the criminal justice and homelessness issues and the intersections between these systems.
About the Criminal Justice Advisory Council
The Criminal Justice Advisory Council (CJAC) was created by Salt Lake County ordinance and serves as an advisory committee to the Salt Lake County Mayor and County Council. CJAC works collaboratively to shape criminal justice policy and County initiatives. The committee is made up of law enforcement, prosecutors, defense counsel, corrections, courts, human services, and elected officials at the city, county, and state level.
