That afternoon. Everyone is 05:30pm, on Wednesday, AUGUST of 2020. 25 when the public's in the room of the city County building. Welcome to the public safety crew. Just committee of the City County Council. We do have a few budget hearings tonight. There will be no vote tonight. We'll have 3 presentations. Well, before we do that with its trucks to park houses on the Bottom Row Council heart. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN, my name is Michael Paul Hart representing District 20. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN Josh Payne district 21, thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN representing district. 22. Thank you. MISTER Chair Brian Mowery District. 25 thank you. CHAIRMAN Robinson being Boots District 3 Washington Lawrence. Tensions. Thank you, MR. And Illini District 2. Good evening, CHAIRMAN Robinson Crystal currently no
district, 11 West Side. Good evening, everyone. Good evening. MISTER Chair Keith Graves District not on the side. Thank you. Carol says only Roberts and District one 2 of the committee. First. It was a Marion County prosecutor and it's also a division prosecutor. Ryan Mears, mostly to Scott and mark work. Rescue team is welcome. We have a presentation before us. A hard copy we want on the screen and we would do questions and answers at the conclusion presentation. Okay. Thank you, but MR. CHAIRMAN. Starting out. This take a look at the leadership team, then shut it in for chief trial that Scottish Merchant Council right next to and was structure chief of staff
Jennifer Joyce chief charge division and Carlo Lopez, who's in charge of community outrage, didn't Kennedy, who's the supervisor of the criminal support staff when the managers supervisors special victims, domestic violence and racial James is head of our juvenile Division. So just kind of looking truly or 66% of our staff are women. 78 1% of women, occupy leadership positions and the prosecutor's office. That includes both child support and the criminal division side. I feel incredibly grateful that we've been able to really increase level of diversity in our office in terms of not only who appears in leadership, but also make up 42430 individuals who work in the prosecutor's
office said in a given time. So as conversation is about to murder convictions and just kind of where we have been historically and where we are to this point this year. So far, we've charged 31 murder trials to verdict this year were 28 for 31, which puts us 90%. You can see those numbers tracked very closely over the last 5 or 6 years in terms of where we are at terms of the number of trials as well as conviction rates. Obviously during covid within know there's many trials as we're doing now, we've done 31 murder trials so far this year. We've got a couple of going this week and we have a number of trials. Murder trials are coming next week. So we anticipate that our numbers going to either out we should exceed the number of
homicide trials that we did in 2024, 48 trials, which is putting us back right up there. 2019 pre-pandemic numbers. One of the things that I get asked a lot about in community charged with homicide. What does what does that look like? We filed this is as of last week we had filed 52 homicide cases last year or this year. I'm sorry of those 52 cases. 26 of those individuals had never been arrested as an adult, which means that their first interaction with the criminal justice system was a murder charge. That's 50% of the individuals that we've charged with murder. In addition to that, if you account for individuals, you only have a prior record of misdemeanor offenses. That was another 6 individuals which would put
you at 32 out of 52, which is I believe 60 61%. And it just kind reflects the growing trend that we're seeing and homicide cases. When I began my career as a prosecutor in 2006, many of our cases were whodunit, who was individual who was ultimately responsible. And that is very much evolved over the last couple of years. And we just see more and more cases where we are able to pretty quickly identify the individual who's involved in the altercation, who's involved in the case. But then it just comes down to a question of whether or not self defense supplies or not. And that's a growing trend that we see pretty consistently. It's led to
increase east amongst impd. And as you can see from our cases, I think also a byproduct of this is we're having a lot of people join the criminal justice system or their first introduction to the criminal justice system is on a murder case because they're involved in these self defense type altercations of the 3 trials that we lost. All 3 of those cases were self defense related. So very often times the 3rd, there's not necessarily the material dispute and the fact you apply the law to those facts. And, you know, ultimately comes down to a question of reasonableness. And so that's probably one of the areas of the laws that has changed the most since I've been in the
prosecutors office again since 2006 is that idea of reasonableness? And what does that mean to people in the community? We were able to to win a self-defense case. Just last week we had a guilty verdict on that case where the defense was self-defense. But the vast majority of cases that we see now Mary in town. And we take these cases, the trial. The defense is very often times self-defense and not issues of identity. Crimes cases as it relates to childless cases are going to trial this We've had excellent results. 11 for 11. I have to give a ton of credit to win a major in the rest our supervisor team of crimes. They are top notch really just
incredibly committed to this type work. This is some of the most difficult and challenging work that you can do when you're dealing children who have been heart and Linda and her team do an excellent job of making sure that they're not compassionate and do everything that they can to help children who are in need, but also get them to a point where they're capable and able to step into a courtroom in identifying the perpetrator who didn't speak things. Tickets. It is a long journey and the criminal justice system asks a ton of kids who are being placed in the situation, sir. No fault of their own. And it really takes a tremendous investment to get a child ready to go to a jury trial and Linda and her team does an outstanding job, making sure that that occurs. Day and day out. We feel very fortunate for the supervisors
that we have. Results in the courtroom. Just kind of reflect some of the things we've been able to do over the last couple of years. I mean, there's there's there's a number of cases that have been of notes, one that I just wanted to touch on briefly was Raymond Childs. That was an individual shoe was arrested ultimately charged for killing 6 family members. He went to jury trial. He was convicted. He received a sentence of 360 years, which is is noted up there. We've also had a number of cases that are not homicide cases that have resulted in quite a bit of media attention for individuals MAY be been involved in multiple issues broad ripple and they've also received pretty significant sentences as well. And again, that's, you know, everybody trying to work together to make sure that we're in a position to hold people
accountable. I didn't want to know that we did have a serial killer case where we were able to come convict somebody this year. Bruce Mendenhall, this is an individual who has been kind identified as the truck stop serial killer. Here are the was went to trial and was convicted. He's also been convicted of multiple other states. Basically what he would do is he would go to rest areas or truck stops, find women who are vulnerable, oftentimes prostitutes and murdered a number of these women all across the Midwest and he was found guilty novel in Marion County. But other states as well. I believe he's in another jurisdiction right now awaiting trial for additional homicide case. But it was a case of the difficult to put together just because it not figured out until many years after the fact. And just just just chases, which kind of illustrate the the
commitment that everybody in the office has to a number of these cases. And also just, you know, it extends beyond murder cases, nama side cases. I think a lot of times that's what the community watches onto. And there's a lot of common conversation about that. But we also very close attention to a number of other cases. You can see there, there was individual by the name of Bennett who was convicted of, received 100 years because he was a serial rapist. We had to do fentanyl, causing deaths, individual that we're able to convicted of 2 different causing death cases in a result in a 51 year. PRESIDENT Prison sentence. I have excellent relationship with the dea have excellent relationship with impd. Really able to put together those cases and leverage that law to hopefully be in a position to hold some of these dealers accountable.
A lot of times talking about youth and what can the prosecutors office and working in other entities do in terms of having conversations with with young people and can we do to try to make the difference in our community? One of the things that I've learned from my consist of conversations with young people is that they very much certainly appreciate support and they want opportunities. But ultimately what's going to determine whether or not they're involved in gun violence is often times dictated by their peers. And so one of the things that we have tried to focus on how can we build leaders in our community? How can we get people in our community for young people to be the voice of reason when confrontations occur as it relates to gun violence to help get people to turn away. We did a podcast series, future focus. The first one got a lot of attention because Mike Epps
was involved. But I hope everybody pays attention to other episodes where it was local kids here from Marion County who came in and share their stories of times and opportunities that they had involving gun violence. This this took place over a piece 30 which saw that you cited might encounter Graves District. But it's a it's incredible facility in this podcast was actually produced by is so the so the kids actually they're developing real life skills that didn't turn internship program that they have to their high school. And so when you look at the video, when you see how was the widened and he was doing the cameras, he was doing the editing. It was cutting all that together. That was done by the they produced at the end of put all
of those things together. But they're also very kind and willing to share their experiences as it related to gun violence and maybe what they wanted to see from the community and what they wanted to from the prosecutors office. What their expectations weren't, things that we could do to make a difference. And it did part of the program. And the idea was, let's help build real life skills for kids. So they have a transferable skill and will hopefully make them more marketable important. We don't see him in the criminal justice system. The youth violence prevention fellows, which is very much designed as a leadership program. Big shout out the counselors have been willing to participate and speak to our kids and our number of people on this panel in the been willing to to stop. I have conversations
where it's all about meeting interacting with kids but also trying to build that leadership. Now introducing them to government and let them know how city government works, but also let them know that we need them to have the confidence to be leaders in our community. And we do a soccer camp, a basketball camp because, we found that it's excellent way to try to connect with with with kids in our community. You know what we understand also that are a role in the community extends very much beyond you know, prosecution. And we have to consistently make sure that we're doing things to build trust in the community. You can have the greatest investigation in the world, but it's no one's going to come forward and step into court and talk about what happened. You're going to be really limited as prosecutors office. And so we talk about
we need the community in order to make a difference. We very much see experience that every single day because if we're going to be in a position to bring justice to people, we have to have people in the community willing to come forward and testify and share their experiences. And that's something that we spend a lot of time on. How can we build that level of trust in what people know that we care about? Everybody. One of the programs that are particularly happy with just because it was initiated by individuals who work in our office here. Are a part of our program with a couple of nonprofits that we have, which is our different, not less initiative, which is individuals who worked in the office who maybe have a disability. They helped us out Louisville a program. And the way that worked was we had on the Lopes that can be distributed to individuals who
are suffering from autism. And a lot of individuals are who suffer from this different disabilities are really concerned about that interaction with law enforcement because the lights, the sirens can be very triggering and they might respond in a way is not indicative of someone who's trying to resist but might send the signal law enforcement and so that we want Lopes the police immediately know that they're doing with an individual who suffers from this. These types of issues are allowed to put their driver's license and insurance information in there. Kind of gives the officer the heads up that, hey, the noises in the century issues might be part contributed to the issue here. It was incredibly successful
program really even extended beyond mayor in town. I'm very pleased to say that we met with Chief Bailey's. You could not have been a better partner on that was met with met with Mueller who was the person in office. He was very much spearheading that program. The orca Indiana was a partner on that as well. And the thing that we very quickly saw that there is a need for this beyond Marion County. We had 70 not people from 7 to 9 different cities and towns across the state. Reach out to participate blow program. We've distributed close to 500. We want folks to individuals who are asking us to see that that information and those are the types of things that we think that we can have a real difference in our community. Good. Faith initiative is something that. Gets lot of attention to our child support MR. Water does
great job of running that program in terms of trying to get people back on track and child support. Our second chance workshops which took place throughout the city. We try to do about the township's offices. We do our bit downtown here, Timbers Fieldhouse. We were able to serve 1289 people to this point this year, you see how the breakdown to build a female. We have a really great expunged law in the state of Indiana, but access to justice is a problem. A lot of people struggle with just just to be clear, we only do criminal convictions. Another sometimes some confusion because a lot of people who are sitting out civil expungements in particular for evictions, not help with that. And unfortunately, that's outside the realm of our area. But we do feel pretty immediate need on housing is there's a lot of
people in our community who are struggling to get housing because of their criminal history. And if they can take advantage of this expansion along, we want to make sure they have the resources, ability to do that. And so that's what we're trying to do. Our second champs workshops. The other thing that we try to do is we try to help people get their driver's license reinstated. There's a number of people who have their driver's license suspended basically because report and because they're poor, they are now essentially been criminalize every time they go work. Every time go church every time they go to school and it creates unnecessary tension between people in the community and law enforcement because they're constantly looking over their shoulder. And it also serves as a huge barrier to someone meaningful employment. And so we work
very hard get that accomplished. We would not be able to do that without people in the community stepping forward. I want to give a shout out to my friends of the public defender Agency who have been incredible partners and our good faith initiative. They're volunteering their time. They're helping us and we also have the benefit of a number of attorneys from around the city come forward to help us pull off a events such as these where we're able to serve a lot of people and hopefully get many people driving on the street legally as possible, but also help people living some of those barriers that are maybe holding them back from employment where maybe they're underemployed or unemployed. And certainly that is a barrier to house. And that's one of the things that we're very focused on on trying to
reduce. As it relates to grants. We have had a number of losses as it relates to grants. The 2 biggest ones were the aps grant and our diversion Both of those were state funding, France. Both of those programs were eliminated at the state level. So it not only impacts Marin County, but it represents a it also impacts the rest of the state. Aps has been shift, which is adult protective services that was previously based in prosecutors offices. It's been outsourced to a third-party agency and the diversion Grant was a grant that was funded by the Department of Correction that grant paid for both a prosecutor and a social worker to help with individuals to enter into a diversion
program. Grant was also a statewide grant that has been eliminated across the board. The elimination of those grants ultimately will result in 10 positions being eliminated from the prosecutor's office. Some of those individuals have been able to relocated to different positions, within the office. But we did have some individuals depart. The prosecutor's office grants one down and there just wasn't a good fit for for some of those individuals. And so we understand that the current environment is somewhat challenging right now. I know for some of our grants, it's been difficult even to report the things that been required to report just based on changes that existed at the
federal level. We will certainly do our best to undo Jim participate with these grants. But all the last 8 budget was was not particularly kind to grant funded programs and the prosecutors office experience of loss as other prosecutors offices did around the state. So you get down to the actual role numbers will turn over latest So 2026 proposed budget 35 Million. $12,418. We provided that breakdown by fund. I'm not going to read it to you as it is before you. But I do want to point out when we look at the characters character, one, 28 million, 110,815 dollars is for character. One which supports our salaries for our turn over to Mike McGuire. Good evening. Thank you for having me this
evening. I'm very proud to be here to represent the 79 members of the child Support Division. We're going to present our budget. And our first line is about our leadership team that helps our other employees navigate the child support system and help the families. Not only here in Marion County, but also across the country that need their services here in Marion County and some of our families who need services. Another state. As of Monday. We have 37,032 open child support cases here in Marion County. So what our job is is to assist parents and establishing attorney for children that are born out of wedlock says parents and establishing child support and medical support orders and as his parents and enforcing in modifying those child support
and medical support orders and provide assistance for parents and other states who MAY need our services and to provide assistance for families here who need services in another state. So the proposed budget that we have been given is a reflection of the 4 characters. You can see again, like the criminal division were predominantly our biggest expenses are in character. One which are personal services. The council MAY remember that last year when it looked like everybody was flat line, we appear to have an increase and it was a shift in how child support division was funded. More of our budget was put into county general funding rather than incentive funding. So that number of 7 million 72 thousand 100 and
$32 does not represent all of the expenses of the child support Division is anticipated to have in Twenty-twenty 6 is in fact, that number is 8 million, $146,811. And we're going to get into that in a minute. How that's funded. So we've talked about this couple of years ago. The first $758,490 that we spend of eligible for expenses is reimbursed by the state. The remaining money that is spent in character or in county general fund is reimbursed at 66%. So it ample is in budget. We were expecting a reimbursement of tooth out. Our 2 million, $983 and 306 to 2 million, 983,363 dollars. And with those changes that we made last year
to the 2025 budget and the same is being proposed we're going to see 4 million, 167,004 dollars just by changing which fund we use. So that is no better way to bring revenue. 30% is actually what ends up being paid. So that county general fund when by the time reimbursements come in, the county is only paying 2 million, 146,638 of that 7 Million 72 thousand 100. $32. So for us, we're for Lamb. Looking at it. It's a missed opportunity if we had put the entire 8 million in that we're doing, we would see more revenue and I'll get that in a moment. But again, our funding comes from 3 streams for a child support expenses County general. The county for
the incentive fund and the prosecutors Incentive Fund County general is allocated through the council. The incentive funds are not allocated through the council. Those are funds that are earned based on how well the state of Indiana terms of 5 federal performance factors and how well we do as a county we receive funding the county received. 22% the clerk's office received 22% in the prosecutor's office received 33% of what comes into Indiana. So we receive that throughout the year and that is money that we can spend to enhance the program but we can't use it to supplant what the county is supposed to be providing. So over the years the child support Division has used that money to for
personal services to have more employees and those things Solis said last we got more move the county general. So there would be a better retention of money coming back from the federal government. And so if we did that excellent, if you see this is kind of the allocation that we're looking at for that. I apologize for that type of that says 8 million 1, o 1. It should be that 8 Million 1.46 This is what we would have and it would actually cost the county to get that for night for 4 million, 925 pounds were $94. County would actually pay out 3 million 221 thousand, 3.70 And that is from what we showed on the slide that we
get from the county general Fund. Plus, the 2 incentive funds that are up there. But what if we put it all county general fund? Then we would get back 5 million, 634,782 dollars and it end up costing the county 2 million, 512,029 dollars. And with that. We would get back more money, extra $709,288 in reimbursement. Now, I would point out that that means the county general would take hit of 365,000 and Extra money. There would be less in county general. What we would also retain that money that's going to come out of the incentive fund that comes in every year, which is a little over a million dollars. Those would go into the 2 funds that were for 40 services. They can't be used by everybody. But this is
a way to get more funds into the county and to keep those money here to be used in future years. As the as we talked about and grandson, the criminal division, aren't a whole lot of grants and child support there. Occasionally the Office of Child Support Enforcement offers grants for fatherhood initiatives. Unclear if they're going to this year, Ian, but we have been approached to take a look at. We might be interested. These are kind of programs that we cannot fund with title for the money. So that money has to come from somewhere else. And my personal look, I would like to look at we're going to do something. Something that we can sustain. What is also something not only to help fathers but parents in general find employment, keep employment, maybe something to do with housing. But we are looking for those types of grants to
do those things. The other thing that we've talked about in the past and that we plan to do this year is coming up in 2026. Hopefully at the end of 2025, will have a mediation program which will assist families are going to court to be able to settle their that whatever issue is outside of the courtroom, long as they have won 40 issue, I can use incentive money to pay for that particular program and we're allocating out of the prosecutor's Office incentive fund about 150,000 each year to get those cases and to see what we can do with those with that. We're also trying to continue to have our family resource Taser, Good Faith Initiative. We have a new community outreach person so that we can go out into the community and continue to educate people on what services that we do have and
what we can assist them. And then our performance metric was on our parents. That work program. And I believe in I could be incorrect. This started years ago, I think with a grant from the council, it was what's called back then it's a difference of the of about 25 years. It was called job or jail back in and on track. Now it's our parents that work program. And last year we were estimating over. 24, we did 197 individuals. We help this year. Think it's going to 20 and we're hoping for 2.30, in. These are people who are looking for employment to pay their child support. And we're trying to by either getting them to an up or that MAY hire or deal with those barriers that they MAY do. Maybe they need to have a ged. Maybe they need some help with resume writing things funded with other partners to get people employment. But those who are working generally pay better and they're generally have better relationships with
their family. As it relates to our second chance workshops in 2024, we served over 1400 people were estimated to serve 1500 individuals our goal for 2026 1600 individuals. We'll take any questions you MAY have. Thank you all for presentation. Thank you, MR. Prosecute teen comments or questions for the prosecutor. Council, Thanks, MISTER Chair. There. Can you MAY be right back over the 7 or $9,000 missed opportunity tell me what steps should have been taken. Make sure that if can. Actually that the difference is if you put all of our expenses in, then there'll then all of the 40 expenses are eligible for that. 66% reimbursement. You know, part
of ours is going to be used out of incentive fund if the incentive fund was not being used for those expenses, then you would be able on the little over a million from the incentive funds. You would get 66% back on those. Thank you. I think I might have just little I have to tap into a car cfo for a little deeper punished because that that's a bit. It sounds like a pretty big sum of money that we have an opportunity capture. Thank you. Also, additional comes, of course, with prosecute Office concert. The lady. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN. MR. Prosecutor at the beginning of your speech are talking about the murder rate as it came out chief chief of staff for chief deputy da Scott. Talking about the fact types of murders that you had seen have changed dramatically since you became
a prosecutor and in conjunction to that statement we've been hearing and that are murders are down in violent crime is down over on the city. And I know that over the past 4 or 5 years, there's been an influx of federal dollars into the city. I'm just curious if if you wouldn't mind. Offering an opinion or if you have any evidence as to. Maybe the change in murders is that part of the reason why they're going down to have any anecdotes? Is there any connection between the 2? I'm just trying to look at, you know, as as the fiscal body of the count getting to where I'm going with hope this is the fiscal body of the county, right? We're funding all of these programs to help try to bring down crime in the city and maybe there's a connection. Maybe there's not. But I just love to hear your thoughts. Kind of on the big
picture of it. All from the types of murderers that we're seeing to crime is down overall, is it is it a function of the money that we're pouring into it? I just love to hear your opinion and thoughts. You know, I don't know that I'm necessarily want to draw direct line because I just don't know that we have the statistical evidence to support that. The one thing I will tell you is that you know, I am to initial cost of murder cases, it was domestic. That was drug deal, gone bad drug related and basically armed robbery gone Those were the 3 categories. Now we have a 4th category, which is by far our highest category, which is disputes. All of Not all but a significant percentage of what we're seeing now are just individuals arguing with one another. A lot of time that
originates on social media and individuals, you know, becoming very angry and frustrated with one another and resolve those conflicts through violence. And that's why we're so many self-defense claims or case is being raised and the courtroom. The issue that we most frequently litigate is the issue of self-defense. And it's it's that what we have to evaluate the most during the screening process is is there colorable self-defense claim here? And so that's very significant change, because, you know, 10 years ago, we spent a lot of time trying to figure out who was the person involved. But thanks to modern technology. A lot of times if we are able to get some of the points in the right direction, were able to identify the person involved
everybody walks around with a were able to say no, you were there. We know we're talking to before after and during we saw what you're searching on the Internet. And then inevitably want to talk to the police or the conversation about what the other person was armed or the other person pulled a gun. First. And so that's just more and more. What we are seeing and of the murders that we currently have pending. I would say a predominant issue in most of those cases, the issue of self-defense, meaning that most people or a lot of people are claiming that, yes, I did it, but I had the legal right to do so. And I think that's a reflection of our self-defense loss. And I think it's a reflection of the fact that in
most situations are a lot of cases. Both parties are armed, both the victim and the defendant or arm. That's something that we frequently encounter. And so when you do with those types of cases, I don't know how program maybe necessarily prevent someone in heat of the moment from stepping away from that confrontation. But I know some that we're all focused on is how can we give people the tools, the resources, the confidence and the skills to step away from violence. And when we talk about young people, the vast majority of what we see involving young people start online. It's social media. Few social media And then it's like, hey, let's meet Let's meet at the mall. That's and or, you know, you catch someone somewhere and
you feel like, oh, this is my opportunity. And so I think there's an element of prevention involved there, especially as it relates to social media abuse. But when you're just fighting over a parking spot, I don't know how you know those resources necessarily prevent someone from just having a short fuse. Thank you. I have some questions, but I will see everybody's time this evening. Thank you. Thank you for sharing. Appreciate that. Thank you. Council. But he was prosecutor Council moves. Thank you, MISTER CHAIRMAN. Thank you, prosecutor for evening's presentation. Just couple quick questions. With respect to the year grant losses. I see here, it's roughly combined state and federal 812. So that still accurate? House that divided between the state and I think that so the voca grants which support like a victim advocates and resources like that, those were not
eliminated. There was a significantly reduced. The aps is the bulk of that, which was right around $500,000 and not bring it was all-out eliminated and then our diversion program, which of them was the Department of Corrections State funded program. That was $189,000. So approximately 700,000 of that, those dollars are the state fund. The dollars that we lost. The rest would be the production in the Voca grant allocation at the federal level. Okay. Great. Final Are to your knowledge? Are there any formal, any formal connections, a collaboration between your office and ice or immigration enforcement and the federal level know that we've we've had little or no conversations with them. Thank you, Thank you all additional comment to questions with a prosecutor council agrees. Thank you. CHAIRMAN Famous prosecutor has gone good you, sir. My good friend. There.
Just a real quick question. About maybe what your office is doing too. The the thought that there's a lot of disparities charging and sentencing racial disparities where members of the black community typically are going to get harsher charges and sentences. You talk about that and it's it. Is there any measurable way that you guys keep an eye on that. I mean, we're one of the things that were very fortunate with is there's a lot of research institutions that want to pair up with us and provide us with that inside that information to let us know. Are we doing a good job or not? And what what are we doing at the screening process with the intake process in terms of what our decision-making process looks like? And so I feel very fortunate because we've we have partnerships like the
Vera Institute, which helps us evaluate that. We have partnerships with academic institution. Stanford University has been a partner of ours in the past to help us really try to Clearwater, redoing the community couple of weeks ago we presented our evidence and information that there provided to us in terms of water refile. So many types of resisting law enforcement cases, why it was try to prosecute office file far more cases. The Pierce it is or sister cities around the country and we had a community conversation about. We do that all of that Missionary Baptist Church and we a very transparent conversation about what the research revealed about our decision-making process and what we did. And so part of it is knowledge and that we're not perfect and that sometimes those discrepancies exist and we
want to make sure that we are continuously evaluating ourselves to make sure that those subtle biases are not in Florence our decisions. And so we want to be proactive with the community and said this is what we're doing. And so what we're trying to do is let's evaluate how we file cases. Let's evaluate how we prosecute cases. And then let's see, you know, where those disparities exist. And is there more to the story? And so those are huge undertakings that we don't necessarily have the the ability to do ourselves, which is why we've partnered up with different institutions of higher learning so they can help us do that assessment. And then I think it's on our offer addition to share with
the community. And that's what we did a couple of weeks ago. All of that Missionary Baptist Church. That's awesome. I really noting that you have that partnership with that. This is something that's going to help identify some of that. Some of the disparities that MAY be in play and then you're actually looking work. Those I'd like to make sure we do Bonn recommendations and things like that because I think that there's a disparity there as well. So I love to continue learn more about how you guys are addressing some of those disparities that in our community. We feel that there are there clear maybe we're just reading something differently. But if we are reading it right, we love to know what you're doing to correct those things. Thanks. You can also count Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN, thank you. As prosecutor and teams being
here this evening, you know, I'm I'm lost that the last few years compensation was a challenge. 4, really the entire enterprise and excuse me, it seemed to be a real challenge for prosecutors office as well as public defender agency. As I said, really the whole enterprise. You folks are oftentimes pooling young attorneys are trying to attract people into the agencies. That you run. And so I was curious how that compensation maybe has impacted. Your numbers number stand that I know impd is still suffering. Organization or an agency like business. A neighborhood services told us this week the only down like 18 vacancies were they maybe had hundreds just curious how you folks are doing staffing wise and I'll be asking our public defender. Same question
here in just a few moments. Foreman what is this word that place. You know, I first of all, credible, incredibly grateful to the council because a couple of years ago we did have this conversation or starting salary was 53,000 now at 72 and people who were not previously applied to the office just because it's all starting salary are now applying. And so with the incoming barre class that we have talking of what is the status? We're not going to have staffing issues and we're in a good spot. And in terms of where we are with the enterprise as it relates to our number of open positions within the prosecutor's office. I will tell you when we have conversations about that, but I mentioned we lost 10 people due to the current positions being eliminated, summer reassigned. But some individuals did have to lose
the office in our footprint in terms of the number of total employees has been reduced. But as it relates turns, we certainly turn a corner and that starts hours. 72,000 $1 has been incredibly helpful terms of our ability to attract candidates you want representing the community and you want work in public defender agency. And so we feel very grateful for the resources that the council has given us. Well, I'm glad to hear that. And and I just always say, I know that these days in particular budgets are awfully tight. There's greater restraints on on our finances here in the city. But as we continue to move along, hope for ever focus that we don't wind up in the same position that we found ourselves. And we're we're trying to
significantly catcher selves up in a short period of time. So well, Senate chief public defender as well as yourself as these next couple years. Go through really want to be cognizant that, you know, we're making sure that we're continuing to at least somewhat be competitive with our peers as not a disadvantage. The agency or community. I was curious if the CHAIRMAN Would allowed just 2 questions. Doesn't With respect some of these grant cuts? I was curious. I had not heard that previously was or any real. I reasoned that your agency or other agencies were
given as to why those cuts were made were dollar shifted and other programs or where they lemonade entirely. So the state made the decision to go away from the prosecutor base model as a related to Adult Protective Services grant. And generally the topic to do it cheaper lift outsourced it to a 3rd party in process. I'm not entirely sure how that's going to work because they don't have a law enforcement powers and have the ability to prosecute. But those are going to be individuals responding to adult protective service cases. Now, I know puts a huge burden on impd just because the 10 people I mentioned, we're the ones who are kind of responding to those runs in those things and not a pardon is kind of shifting the impd a little bit. Just just because this this new government quasi government entity doesn't have police powers. And so they're
really limited what they can do as it relates to the to the deo says diversion program that was just scrap across across the board. As a kind of got down to nitty-gritty the budget. That was one of the things that was cut and it wasn't just the Marion Prosecutor's Office or is every that participated in that program that funded one prosecutor and one social worker and that money was not reallocated are just that taking of the budget as a whole. My last question for the time being so I not take up all of the One of the things I I mentioned last year was that the importance and someone of appreciation of reaching out to some of our minority communities a lot of people maybe don't always think about Perry Township in that respect. But we're very
proud of the growing Burmese engine community that we have down on the south side. As I've interacted with them, the last 6 or so years, I was always interested hear about their experience before they came to the United States and and came to Indianapolis and the theory of government and the reluctance e to work with government. And so as they've come assimilated into our city that reluctance e still exist in some way, shape or form is they kind of learn or familiar rise themselves with our our model. Just curious over this last year. How have you interacted with with that? Those types of communities and continue to deepen those partnerships and I think are pretty critical. We've had
great relationship with on a number of fronts down. There probably the most profound event that I went down there was was at the ymca down there. Where there's a soccer league. I think primarily involves individuals from the communities that you just spoke about. And, you know, through those conversations one of individuals actually applied to be a police officer and was very proud of the fact that they're required to be a police officer. And so, you know, tried envision and help people understand that we're here to help. And the best way to do that is to kind of meet people where they are. And so we try to do that either detention or that has been down there a couple of times as well. And I've made that down to the to the ymca a couple of times. One of the
times of Phs another time it was for a connection that we have in the community from a woman used to work in the prosecutor's office is permitted to ferry integrated in the community inches. Pretty consistently invited me to events down there. And that was kind of how we were able to get involved with some of those conversations. But it is growing population. We have to learn how to serve You know, one of the and MISS Their prospects MAY be an issue that's more council approves issue. But in just a highlight, the challenges of him, we spend a lot of time trying to figure out, you know how we can speak different languages to office and that certainly trying to develop and roads so we can find credible people who can help us translate and help us have conversations under. We've had
a lot of issues here recently with the Haitian Creole people who can speak that language, make sure that we can have the that level of communication. Sometimes hard to meet people when when there's paper route language barriers that kind of prevent just that informal communication. Counsel, you good. A council Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN and thank Was a prosecutor presentation tonight and also your participation in our roundtable a few weeks ago. I think your voice there. Well, it was vital to the process really led to a lot of the public safety package. And this is that you seen from some of those counselors. So one thing I've been trying to do is get a better idea of how the prosecutor's office, law enforcement and the court system. Owner because it seems like you see someone that maybe gets off on lenient plea deal or something like that. The court system blames the
prosecutor, a prosecutor. Just blame over this department and then. Impd is there like, see like we arrested now. Just out on the street again. And that's commonly referred to, as you know, the revolving door of criminal justice. When you hear that term, what comes to mind? Well, I mean, I don't necessarily I think a lot of this is people who are intensely trying to figure out what the issues. You know, when I get asked questions about Bill are really confused as to why people or so asking those questions because the bill metric has been published online for years. The bail process is not a secret. Published. And so if you get arrested on a given offense, you know what your bill is going to be based based on the building so when we have these conversations, you know, i think there are opportunities to make improvements and in
terms of process and people might disagree with what particular bond is on a particular case or they might say this person's bond should have been revoked. Sometimes it involves the flow of information. Give you a perfect to example that that happened with an individual who was arrested on a misdemeanor gun charge because he was most rested MR. A gun charge able to post $150 cash bond. When we got sometime later we saw it and said this person should not have been arrested from its militia have been arrested for level 5. And we filed a motion for greater standard bond force. That person already posted bond. And then that person was later accused and convicted of murder. That's a process issue. There. Have that person immediately been. Arrested for
the level They were kind of different bomb that would have different trajectory going through our court system. But because they were arrested on misdemeanor, they took a different path through to our court system. That's a process issue that I think we all need to have a conversation about, ok, what can we do to improve the outcomes like that? Do not Parker. But there's also how does the flow of information work? You know, when the police arrest, someone have to write a report. So that person is going to start sit in jail and I'm sure the judge was told you about how long people can sit in jail and we're kind of depend upon when we get that information. And so there's a lot of different conversations that go into it. But I didn't of the the doing a very good job doesn't necessarily change the outcome. And so I think one of the things all of us, I hope
we're focused on is what does that process look, white and other improvements that we can make to the to the process as a whole and a lot of those chain of events start with when they arrest occurs. But the officers are dealing with incomplete information at best. A perfect example. That will probably happen today. Is their arrest, someone on a battery charge as a misdemeanor level 6 and then we talked to the victim 3 days later and the victims like going to the hospital. I was really seriously injured and we need to be charging different charge with a person's already bonded out. Because they were on that misdemeanor path. So. What can we do to improve that process and what can we do to improve
that flow of information what the prosecutors of it, but the judges have it at the same time balance and the rights of people who are accused of crimes and the public Regence is going to go after me and they a fierce advocates and they do a good job of representing their clients. And I'm sure they have a perspective on what that process should look like and what the constitution requires of individuals who are being held on a charge. So that is going to the next question, which has processing when impd makes an arrest. When does the prosecutor's office get notified that there was an arrest who makes the determination? Okay, this person is being charged with misdemeanor win. We find out later should actually be a felony. A lot of it depends on. So the other visible couple of different processes
where if you're arrested on a misdemeanor, it's going to be a little bit of time before the prosecutors offices is notified. If you are arrested on a homicide, you know, we have homicide prosecutors who worked very closely with the homicide. Detectives. That's a that's a conversation that's happening in real the homicide. Detective is talking to the prosecutors say they do everything to do that. Should arrest the suspect. Common example. I could just talked about self-defense. This person's claim self-defense are really think of self-defense. When you think about an outright arrest, we have that conversation. And so, you know, on the homicide cases, it's immediate on the misdemeanor cases. There's going to be a delay because of No officer arrest someone. We don't do anything until we
have a report. Sometimes that report takes a long time. Sometimes it doesn't take that long. But then what's in that report and what information is included in a lot of times. Again, the officers doing with incomplete information where someone down the line and said, hey, you probably didn't see this. But this person actually has a conviction out of county that might have missed it. So that should be enhanced to a felony or actually talked to the victim this case needs to be you know, increase because that the injury is more serious initially anticipated. And so those are all things that that that hopefully we're we're thinking about. But it's it's it's with the exception of murder cases. It's never if arrest someone outside the city-county building, we're not going know about it. That moment in time there's going to be a lag time and a lot of
that's dependent upon when Bowden informations ultimately entered into the system sent over to the prosecutor's office. Thank you. Nice have maybe 2 or 3 more questions is the prosecutor's office PRESIDENT At the bail hearing? So if you read bill presumably you're represented by counsel. And yes, the prosecutor's office would would would be there. Bail is automatically imposed. So, you know, view live here, get arrested to not. You are going to get bail lessons for murder or treason. Which I don't think it's in your future today. But you know, if you are arrested today, mostly arrest MISTER Beers, $150 Bond. There's no That's just what the bond is on that particular offense. So when you say hearing Mike,
when there's a hearing, if if you're arrested, you know how the $150 and the judge says, I'm going to set this for a bail hearing. Prosecutors offices is going to be present, but that initial the position of Bill that is made that that's that's based on the Bill MAY Matrix and it's not based on the prosecutor's office. We do have the ability to file for a camera that removes greater than reading center What plays into that? Well, I mean, are the bill metrics that sets forth the factors that allow us to ask for a standard Vaughn and situations in which we could ask for the bond to be doubled. So it's actually laid out the bill schedule under these circumstances. You can ask for credit and Senator
Bond. And then just wrap it up here. I was just reading this on fox today on the other day. But it was someone who had unlawful possession of a firearm. And I believe there was a plea deal. They were sentenced to 6 years before years of it was suspended. Is that something that the prosecutor's office is actively working with public defender's office or whoever their council The prosecutor's office agreeing to that four-year suspension, or is that something that the judge does on their own without? It's a little taste with you. It's really court specific. I mean, there there's a lot of courts where we do a lot of open term, please. You know, we were gonna make arguments. The prosecutors office are going to say we think this person is Department of Correction for 2 years of public defenders going to say, hey, we think this person to
go on home detention, sometimes that are set term. Please meeting both sides agree on specific terms. And then obviously when you have a trial, that sentence is ultimately left entirely up to the judge. And so sometimes it's situation where with an argument bit terms are left open to the discretion of the court. Will for the victim taste will bring to the victim, the victim impact statements obviously ready to record. The court is to consider the input of the victim. And so it really just depends on a specific case in terms of whether or not it's a set term plea or open term plea. Were the judge. Ultimately gets to say, you know I think you deserve 3 years. I think it is there for years and is or 2 years or I don't think it is or anything at all that that's left up to
the judge. Okay. I think I request of I don't really want to take up too much more time You I think there's just so many cases that we've seen and Marion County over the past few years ago, I saw on the other day where it was someone who was arrested for the 49th time. It was for public indecency. And 2 days before that, he was arrested for felony trespassing. For none of those previous 48 cases he ever served a day in prison. So I think that's, you know, the being drops somewhere. And I don't know if that we can blame just the prosecutor's office or the court system where it's both, but is a public defender. I don't know yet asked them and they're going to be the same questions. I do think we have to do a better job working together and having some kind
of accountability for. Being released. 48 times and never serving a day in prison. You know about. I'd be curious to follow Council Prosecutor Council heart. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN, just a couple things. One, the follow up on the roundtable, which I thought was a phenomenal session grateful that you participated in a very professional conversation and, you know, I'm in the business of just solving problems, right? Come up with ideas Putin from the council. We did that with a couple ideas after that meeting. One of the things that stood out to me front page report is that your office deals with one in 5 cases in the state of Indiana trials. Trials are in the state of Indiana and they got me thinking about. Your head count when we're looking at all these numbers reduction,
you kind of alluded to. It sounds like at least at least one prosecutor, deputy prosecutor was lost. Some of those funding. The grant programs. But I'm curious. Does the does your office have a 2, 2, 2, backlog problems. One, you have case backlog problem and then on the other side, you have the bandwidth problem with the courts because of that volume. I think right now. And, you knocking on one of those worked pretty good position. You know, we are appropriately calibrated terms of our staffing levels with the current case loads that we have. If you go down to a misdemeanor level, 6 court was prosecutor said of the hardest working people in the building. That absolutely will. I'm sure the public defenders would say the exact same thing because they do
have high case loads. But I don't think those 2 slows are so high that they are not a position to do their job or give the level of attention. But those cases warrant and deserve. So I think right now we're we're and is a good spot in terms of just where the numbers are and where we are at staffing levels within the courts today. Now that can check them sometimes you go through situations where you have a bunch of resignations, a time and that totally changes the complexion of what your case loads can can look like different court. But right now we are cautiously optimistic with this incoming barre class that we are going to be in a good position. But that can obviously change of people resigned or if the caseload increase. Okay. So
that's on on the. Capacity side of the amount of kids that you have. But on the other side, when you're you're going to court says the court giving any backlog, but trying to get in there do that process. No, I wouldn't say you have some courts move way quicker than others. And if you look at the you know, for us. It's we very much appreciate the opportunity try says one respect. Both sides are ready because we got to keep witnesses on board and the longer a case is pending that can sometimes become a challenge in particular, in crimes of violence. And so, you know, we definitely appreciate place where the public defenders get the opportunity to work. This case is up. We get the opportunity to work. These cases have a
really firm understand we are in a position try this case on the merits. Judges do that and quicker fashion the than others. But I don't necessarily think there is a capacity problem like we had a couple of years ago where we just had a ton of cases that were jus. Had not been result because of covid. I mean, I think everybody's worked really hard to get those numbers down to a manageable number. And if you look at where we are now with our case loads per prosecutor as opposed to where we were 3 or 4 years ago. I mean, it's way less just because we're able to resolve cases that are pretty reasonable rate. Okay, I'm going with this is a I think it last year in the budget. We put money, tourism mayor's initiative that would fund federal prosecutors. And
it's my understanding, Willie, actually hired one of those and they're still funding. Presumably, I don't know for continuing that program into 2026. Service been proposed in 2026. But were unable to hire those federal local prosecutors. Trying to get as it would be beneficial for your office to have that funding or would it? Sounds like it? Yeah. I mean. So few cases end up in federal court. You know, I mean, but if you look at the volume in the you know, active assistant U.S. Attorney has. 22 says maybe active major felony attorney has 60 70 cases. And so I mean, there's just no comparison to when when when
you talk about the volume. And so when you spread that out across 9 courts just doesn't have significant impact on our workload. And then last causing to talk to in the round table. That was residents requirements. You Senate supportive of it at the time of eliminating it for Marion County. Employees use as easy Perrier to alleviate. Do you still believe that today? So I guess my answer is a little bit more nuanced than I like people who live here who paid taxes here. And I think it's good for our relationship with the community. When you see people, they are part of a school that kids go to school with that guy coach with guy. I think those are all good things for our community to potentially be a barrier at times to hiring people. Yes. And so I feel like there's there has to be a middle ground where common sense solution to these situations where we certainly are giving
preference to Marion County residents. We want people to live in Marion County, but should it be absolute bar to people working the prosecutor's office or other government agencies? I think that sometimes can be in particular. You know, we are dealing with any of the serving as an attorney shortage. And so right now, as we sit here, we're okay. But a couple years now could be coming here say we need to waive this requirement because there's just not enough attorneys in Marion County. That could very easily be a possibility. The other thing concerned about is like what if we just got rid of the residency requirement? There's a lot of people who currently live in Marion County are going to Mary touted go elsewhere. And the people who work at prosecutor's office, the people who work at the public defender agency. These are people we want Lebanon account because they make a
ton of contributions into the public service for work, but also just to care about the community that wants to the community to do well. To encourage as many of those people to live here. And if we give them out, I am worried that we'll see an exodus of people. And that does work. All right. Thank you, MR. Council MR. CHAIRMAN, thank you. Especially a quick follow-up from counterparts question. What do you think your employees would choose to leave Marion County if given the option? I don't know. I think when you do know housing costs are cheaper and others. I think that's the primary thing I hear, you know, in a lot of people sort of the prosecutor's office, 3rd young and are single and they don't have a family. And living downtown has also great and they're having fun. And then 10 years later, they're married and have a like it's a little more expensive live here that are realized. And so the number one thing that I
hear from people is it's not the entry level started hey, I've got a family now. Housing costs are a little bit different. MAY be what I expected and, you know, I get more house and more way. And if I move outside of marriage and so that's that would be part of the concern. You know, it's interesting I represent a corner district. So we're competing against Hendricks County and Martin County where I live so Plainfield Brownsburg Yvonne all the way down to Morrisville. I've actually found the opposite to be true. Really where housing is actually more expensive. And the donut counties. I think that might just population growth is population growth is skyrocketing and donut counties and it's not as much
here in Marion County. I feel like it's maybe a supply and demand thing where, you know, people are almost forced to live in Manatee County because they can't afford to leave. To present were good you. Don't have a house session tomorrow. Thank you. Appreciate Comes to Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN couple just clarification. Questions. I thought the Mr Prosecutor because you're separately elected office that you are not subject to the residency requirement. I mistaken. Then you're blowing my cover here when our employees that they didn't look in Marion Legally, do I I mean, legally others, chilly weather. I'm sorry. Yes, legally, you are correct. Just yes or no questions as prosecutor responsible for whether or not a defendant
gets bail or not. Is there a prosecutor responsible for setting the level of many bombed that a defendant MAY make it? Final comments to the prosecutor. In one of the orders speak to this budget hearing of 20's. But for the prosecutor. Thank you, Sir. Appreciate your union staff. Thank Thank you. Up next, is the marrying kind of public defenders agency's budget. By MISTER, a and Rebecca, much singer come forward. Please. Welcome to each of you. Thank you. MISTER CHAIRMAN. Good evening to everyone. Thanks, PRESIDENT. The first line I'd like to talk about tonight is the agency overview. This lays out an overview of our of our staff of agency. And I'd like
to talk just briefly about a couple of issues that on that agency overview. I'd like to talk just briefly about the Marion County Public Defender Board. The board is the first requirement set by the Indiana Commission on Court appointed attorneys for reimbursement for the City of Indianapolis and Marion County. That reimbursement over the last 33 years has exceeded 150 million dollars. In addition to the creation of a board there. Also caseload requirements. There are also training and qualification requirements for attorneys to handle individual cases. And there's also pay parity requirements for both attorneys to have pay parity with similarly situated
attorneys and the prosecutors office. And there's also pay parity for support staff. These are requirements that are set by the Indiana Public Defender Commission. And then if we comply with those requirements, the county's reimburse 40% of our budget and capital and non capital cases and 50% of our budget in capital cases. I mentioned the board because the board has to be created to establish independence. The first concern for the commission in establishing reimbursement was that the public defenders that are providing representation to the indigent citizens of Marion County or any other county have to be independent from the courts and have to be
also independent from other agencies within the particular city or county. That's to ensure that the representation focuses on the best interests of the client, the board our board is composed of 4 appointees from the City Council. 4 appointees from from the judges and one appointee from the mayor. They have to ensure that the representation that is provided by the agency is in compliance with the standards and guidelines for indigent defense set by the commission both capital in on a capital And they do so through the appointment of a chief public defender I'd also like to talk just because I'm going to mention it several times throughout the presentation
about our attorney in turns we have a regularly had a staff of more a recruit about 50 in turns each year this year we had 12 certified grad and turns. We had 21 certified interns and we had 18, one l summer interns. Those interns come in and early spring in MAY and they stay in our office and they are an important part of the way we recruit for staff and our office. Our policy has been that we want to encourage a law students who are interested in a career and indigent defense to come to our office so that we can train supervise and promote them up through our office and thereby their focus is on their clients rather than on
any any other aspect of their work. We also recruit from about 11 different law schools so that intern class or are certified grad intern class or Attorney intern Class Green brings a great deal of diversity to our office. I'm going to talk more about the in terms, particularly as the cost savings that they provide to the county. As we talk a little bit more about the budget. I'd also like to point out that we have a a social work division we have about 30 social workers in that division. And we also recruit from various schools as well. In terms from social work and our supervisors and the social work division also provide supervision so that social workers coming in with a bachelor's degree can use that
supervision. And in the hours in our office to get a Masters, we're a licensed social work certification or license clinical workers certification and that that group of social workers is important to our connection with the community. I'd also like to point out that we have a large contract or staff. We have 17 contractors and major felony, 17 contractors and appeals 9 contractors and our family reunification division 4 in lower felony division. 3 in our problem solving and 2 in our juvenile division. Those contractors are important and they give us a great deal of flexibility in managing our office. They help in managing case loads. They also help that, for example, when we have turnover or
vacancies and our full-time staff, they can be available to help cover those cases that are left behind. They also provide coverage for conflict cases. Next slide. The next slide is agency staffing. And this is I'd like to give overview of. Our current budget and our 2026 budget and the impact that the 2026 budget he's going to have on our office later on in the presentation, Becky will present more specifics of the budget. But if you look at that chart on the left hand side, if you look at the column under total Fte shows 314 and a half Ft ease. That's the total number of full-time equivalent positions that we have in our office. But not
all of those positions are currently funded. If you look at under the column field and you see that to 16 number. That is currently the number of full-time equivalent positions in our office that are currently funded unfilled. The other important thing I want to point out is if you look at the attorney that horizontal over to the 25 a vacant of those. 25 vacant positions. Only 5 of those are funded in that significant those 5 funded vacant positions are currently in our major felony division. And they are attorney for positions, attorney for position. So you understand the commission would require those attorneys are handling cases ranging from level 4 felonies to murders. So
they're handling significant litigation. The commission, again, the Indiana Commission, a court appointed attorneys that establishes reimbursement and the guidelines that we need to comply with for reimbursement requires that attorney for attorney handling those types of cases 3 years of criminal litigation experience and they have completed at least 3 level 5 felony jury trials to completion. So those are people, particularly if when our philosophy is to recruit and to promote from within the attorneys that get to that position. We spent an awful lot of resources and time and training and supervision to get them there. Our preference
is to promote from within the problem we currently have right now is that we do not have any one in our lower felony divisions that are qualified to be promoted to an attorney for position. So for those 5 vacant positions, we are going to have to look outside of the office in order to fill those positions. We are working to fill those positions of begin fill those positions that are major felony division as it is currently staff would be fully staffed. And are filled full-time funded fte number would move to 265. That's important. And the other thing I want to include that want to say is that to 65 for that to 60 includes the 12 certified grad and turns that came in into our offices in MAY and Safir the bar in JULY. If they passed, the bar would begin in
our office and the misdemeanor division at the beginning of OCTOBER. So I want make you aware of that number to understand the impact that the 2026 budget cuts are going to have on our office, the 2026 budget cuts will result in reducing our full-time equivalent funded ft. Ease by 10. So obviously we would want to keep our office continually staff to to 65. But with the budget cut for 2026, if we did that, we would ultimately run into about $700,000 deficit. The way that we have to deal with that deficit by slow vacancies, filling vacancies. So we have to constantly be mindful throughout the year of running projections in terms of where we're losing people whether or not we can afford
to lose those people particular divisions in order that we stay compliant with the caseload standards set by the Indiana Commission on Court appointed attorneys. The other significant impact that the budget cut is going to have is on the funding that we typically use for experts for contractors and for the death penalty case that we currently have pending. There is a death penalty case currently pending in Marion County. That death penalty cases currently set for trial about a year from now. I have litigated death penalty cases. Those cases require tremendous resources in order to be able to provide the representations that that is needed for somebody charged with a capital offense. The
way that we are going to deal with filling the gap for funding experts for funding our contractors and for funding pending capital case is through use of our title for funds. Title for another form of reimbursement that we received from the federal government. It is based upon the work that our attorneys do in rtp urchins division. That is attorneys handling termination of parental rights cases involving children in need of services. We typically get about a quarter of a million dollars in reimbursement for title for the each year. But to cover those other expenses that I mentioned experts, contractors and the demands that are going to be needed for the capital defense. We are probably going
to have to spend spend down our title for refunds, not just by that, a quarter of a million that we MAY get in 2026. Close to $400,000 so we we do have significant challenges facing us based on the budget cuts that we currently have we want to be sure that we can continue to comply with commission standards and that if we are slow walking, filling budget vacant or staffing vacancies that we do. So in a way that does not jeopardize compliance with the caseload standards that does not jeopardize reimbursement again, the reimbursement and we'll talk all have a slide further on the reimbursement that we received from the commission 2024. Was 10.3 million dollars I expect in 2025. Just based
upon the reimbursement that we received for the first 2 quarters of this year for that reimbursement amount to come closer to 11 million dollars. That reimbursement is critical and has been critical to the operation of this agency since its inception 33 years ago, it's critical to our ability to provide quality representation to the citizens of Marion County. You find themselves accused of a crime, the indigent and partially and you can citizens of Marion County it's critical to our ability to run the office. I I you want to make the council mindful of the challenges that we have going forward in Twenty-twenty 6 with the budget cuts that we will have to try to deal with those
budget cuts by. Slow walking filling vacancies as they as become vacant in 2026. And also using that title for refunds to deal with funding other services like experts, contractors and helping to fund our death penalty cases. Could move to the next slide. I want to talk a little bit about the programmatic and fiscal successes of 20. 25 the largest fiscal success again, will be the reimbursement that we received from the Indiana Commission on Court appointed attorneys that reimbursement is distributed through the State Public Defense Fund, which the commission on court appointed attorneys that ministers as I've already pointed out, that reimbursement has over the
life of Mary of the Public Defender Agency since 93 been 150 million dollars. We do expect it to increase in 2025. A little later slide will show that it has steadily increased every year. I expect that to continue. I do expect that increase to continue in 2025. And it's again, critically important to the ability to operate or office and provide quality representation to our clients. The both fiscal and programmatic success. I'd like to point out is pay parity, pay parity for our attorneys is a requirements set by the commission. Our attorneys have to have at minimum pay parity
with the similarly situated prosecutor. Right now, our entry level pay is at the 72,000 are. I think it's maybe 71,009 94 that prosecutor Mears mention for his attorneys. And the only reason we're able to match that is because of the pay parity requirements set by the commission because that compliance with that requirement means that the county is reimbursed. 40% of our budget. We were also able in 2024 to establish pay parity for our support staff. That had always been an issue. We were able to go to the commission and convince the commission to include pay parity for support staff as an additional requirement for reimbursement. That type of parity with the prosecutor's office does allow us to have competitive salaries that are
helpful in attracting and retaining staff in our office. It's also helpful to attract and retain a diverse workforce and adequately address. The attorney shortages in Indiana. The other programmatic success that I would like to mention is the expansion. And this relates to our are in turns. I already mentioned that our interns are recruited are law school and turns are recruited from 11 different law schools. So not just here in Indianapolis or Indiana, but we also recruit in Ohio in d c We've had recruits from Louisiana. We've recruits from Michigan. So we do have recruiting class throughout the country that helps diversify our staff. The other that's important in that I want to stress about our in turns. They do provide a cost savings to the county. And this is, again, something that
we MAY be able to rely upon and dealing with the. The budget shortages in Twenty-twenty 6, 0, the 12, for example, the 12 certified grad and turns that came into that we recruited into our office and that and that took the bar in JULY. And if they passed the bar, they will begin in our misdemeanor division in the beginning of the 4th quarter in OCTOBER. Their salary is funded in our budget from the beginning of the year. But we only begin paying it out when they actually start working as a licensed attorney in the 4th quarter. So that represents a savings to the county. It also represents a saving in our budget that that we can use
when we're looking at trying to to slow walk, filling positions in order to avoid that deficit that we are looking at in 2026. The other important thing we did in 2024 and continue to 2025. Is that we were able to provide funding for r third-year law students while they're here before they passed the bar. That's critical in attracting law students, particularly out of out of state or out of county law students to come here. So they have money to cover the cost of of staying here while they're going through our training program. And while taking the bar before they become licensed attorneys in the beginning of the 4th quarter. The other programmatic success that I would like to point out is our
juvenile or early intervention team. This was initially based on a grant we received from the Indiana Commission on Court appointed attorneys. And basically it funded staff and our juvenile division so that they were able to make contact with juveniles who are at risk of being charged for him. Just been charged in the juvenile system and working with them in their families to try to as well as the prosecutors to try to avoid them receiving a period of pretrial detention. And we've been very successful at that and it indicated that when we are successful in doing that, we're also very successful. And if there case is filed and they do result and it does result in a true finding or conviction, they're
very less likely to end up serving any time. And that's very important, particularly in juveniles because it does help. With reducing recidivism rates the other thing I'd like to point out in relation to this is the work of our social work division. Our Social work division as well. And in a way similar to the juvenile or early intervention team works, particularly with our misdemeanor and lower felony clients and getting them connected and reconnected with services and that way and also puts them at greater likelihood that they will not have to spend time in pretrial detention, which also statistically shows that there are more likely to have their cases dismissed or that their cases, if they do result in convictions, will not result
in executed sentence. It helps reunite them with their families. It helps get them back to work and it helps. Continue to allow them. To contribute to the city and the county and to avoid recidivism. Additionally, our social workers through it. I d s grant that will talk about a little bit later. Also work with our. Clients who are coming out of prison. Henry connecting them with services and also helping them with housing, which again. Very much helps with Avoiding recidivism rates. So those are successes that we'd like to point out. This next slide is basically a depiction of the revenue that has been
generated to the county through the reimbursement from the Indiana Commission on Court appointed attorneys. This reimbursement has been in effect since the agency was created in 1993, this chart only shows from 2008. But what I wanted to demonstrate by this is just the steady increase in that out in 2024. Was 10.3 million. And as I mentioned earlier, I expect in 2025 based upon first 2 quarters of reimbursement that that reimbursement amount will be closer to 11 million dollars and its critical again, that. We continue to have this reimbursement to the county we need to be sure to address the challenges that we're going to be facing with
the budget. Cut 2026. So that we can continue to remain in compliance with caseload standards so we can continue to have that reimbursement. The next slide is community engagement and outreach. And just like to talk briefly about that aspect of our agency. Again, I think they've already mentioning mention continuing partnerships with universities that offer internships and training both in our social work division in our Attorney division and is well, I did not mention and our paralegal division. This helps connect our office with the professional schools, not only in Indianapolis, but in Indiana the equal Justice works and diversity, job fairs that we participate in also
helps in recruiting recruiting a diverse staff within our office. We participated in summer celebration Pride parade. We have also worked regularly and continue to work with the prosecutor's office and the second Chance Workshop helping citizens get their licenses back and we have also continue our partnership with the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic offering expungements. We've had a partnership with the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic for. I think 5 to 6 years now they are. They have office space in our building. We are in our offices and we allow them. Equipment as well to run the clinic and and assist with with those
expungements. We also participating this year in the growth Opportunity. 5 grant. That's a grant that provides referral for clients ages 18 to 24. Had some previous connection with the criminal justice system, teaching them conflict resolution skills, preparing them for career and work in the world of work identifying career interests and just helping them being able to provide her to being able to. To generate an income through work in. Remaining connected with their family and their community. In addition, we have worked with our social media accounts to help educate the public about public defense and have an advertised job opportunities. Our goals and priorities for 2026, obviously we want to continue 2. Promote our constitutional mandate to set up by the 6th Amendment to serve the indigent and personally indigent citizens
of Marion County, irrespective of race, gender or orientation, find themselves accused of a crime. In order to be able to do that. We have to continue to receive reimbursement from the commission that ensures the quality representation we've been able to provide throughout the history of this agency. Both at the cap at the at the non capital and capital level. We are going to have to look at shifting resources to support our major felony division by hiring either additional in-house or contract attorneys and support staff. And that again, related to those 5 think an attorney for positions that I mentioned earlier. Either have to do that by attracting attorneys from the outside who are interested in the full time
position and our office or by attracting and expanding our contract staff we are also wanting to continue. Juvenile division early intervention team also continue to work through our IDs, grant and integrate clients back into the community and reduce with the goal of reducing recidivism. The other important thing that I do want to point out and about is the residency requirement. We are subject to the residency requirement. The prosecutor's office is not as an elected official. They do not have the same residency requirements that we do that has been a very difficult for office,
very difficult and our ability to. Attract and retain attorneys in our office to give you some idea of how this is detrimental to our office, there is a waiver and in the ordinance of the residency requirement, we have made arguments and to get those waivers to just give you an example of the beginning of this year, we had an attorney and our tpr Chun's division who very much wanted to stay in our office to continue working in our office but was unable to because of the residency requirement. We argued very strongly for him to receive an exemption. But that exemption was denied and
he had to leave the office. The problem was when he left the office, he left behind about 114 open cases that had to then be taken over by the remaining staff and rtp urchins division. That's an additional burden that it is difficult on our attorneys. And it's something that we need to be mindful of, particularly in Twenty-twenty 6, 1, one of the ways that we are going to have to deal with the budget deficit is by looking at slow walking, filling open positions if we had really from the residency requirement. And I am only suggesting that it be extended to the to the donut counties or if we had a more liberal waiver for public defenders from the residency requirement. It would be very
helpful in allowing us to avoid the situation we had earlier this year with her attorney and also to avoid the situation that we've had coming up. Throughout several years now and losing attorneys that would be very helpful in our ability to attract attorneys into our office and to keep and retain attorneys in her office. The next slide is the budget breakdown the next few slides. Becky talking to you in more detail about the budget. Good evening. The show's the budget breakdown for the Marion County Public Defender Agency and the changes from the 25 2025 to 2026. Budgets. And you can see kind of general was reduced by $470,000 which will impact the number of staff we cannot here for 2026. And then also required us to ship some of our contractual expenses to
federal grants. Fund. Overall, our was reduced from 2025 by $81,000. This is the listing services or microphone. Here. This lets our revenue sources coming from county general supplemental public defender and federal and state grants. Kenny general consists of the 40% of non capital case reimbursement and 50% reimbursement of capital cases. From that in the end commission on court appointed attorneys, the only cases that are not reimbursable misdemeanor cases the Supplemental Public Defender Fund is going down by 1500 estimated for next year. This is a fund that where the court ordered fees paid partially indigent clients and has been trending downward for the past
several years. Again, there's an increase in federal grants due to the contractual expenses will be taking on and that fund and state grants. That's a grant that we typically get through the State Department of Correction. Pastor, the married Mayor Superior Court. This is our listing over grants for 2026. Has rarely mentioned the interdisciplinary defense system or IDs project is arpa funding passed through the state managed by community solutions, a partner that we work with. This fund is one of our attorneys and 3 social workers and they assist are incarcerated clients with re-entry plans. Currently the federal piece of this project will expire in SEPTEMBER of 26 and there's also local dollars
designated by Lily Foundation for another 2 years after that. The quality of life program is a justice and mental health program. That was recently extended through SEPTEMBER of 2026. And I anticipate we'll be asking for a second extension next year. This currently finds a social worker and her contract with adult and child. The title for funding that's determined by. The rate of tpr Chin's case loads and that will cover rtp arches contracts and other contractual expenses for 2026. The jag Grant or Justice Assistance Grant. That's those are funds administered by the Office of Finance and Management. Currently we're using those funds to scan a client files. The old files stored at that. She facility and providing bus passes to clients. Currently, we do not
know if that funding will be renewed in 2026. State grants historically this is funded. 2 attorneys for our problem solving division, at least partial funding for them. We were informed recently that most likely that funding. Will not be renewed for 2026. However, we have available jet unspent, jagged dollars that we can remedy that with. This is our budget breakdown for character fund. Our county general is decreasing by $250,000. What is built into the county general character? One is a 2.6% cost of living adjustment and health insurance increases because of that impact. We will be unable to. To find 10 ft ease next year. Supplemental public Defender fumbles or just one
time cost for additional staffing or payroll. There's no change for 2026. Federal grants that funds our quality of life, social worker and the IDs team. Character to there's a slight decrease. Their charges. Covers off supplies. Also. Character 3 contractual services County general saw a changeup. Reduction of $212,000. This incorporates our charge backs, which are 63% of our character, 3 funding. Because of that reduction and the cost increases with the ice, a charge backs. We needed to shift. Our contractual expenses to federal grant shown as an increase of $534,000. I do have something in there for county grants of $50,000. We previously received some grant funding
through any Casey Foundation the past couple of years. So that appropriation is there. Should there the other opportunities that arise? And in character for equipment, this funds our office and it equipment, furniture and things like that. So there's no change for 2026. And with that, we'll take any questions from comes. Thank you both for your presentation comments. A question for the public from council. Renee. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN, thank you. And to the public defender Agency for Pres presenting in the work that you folks too every day in the community. We also appreciate your understanding with the budget that you folks were given this year. Obviously it's a did the difficult year for many agencies. And we understand that you understand that. We appreciate your understanding in that. My real question really only relates to the
mention of the residents requirement. I was just curious with respect to the waiver who is that submitted to ultimately what determine to approve or deny it? It submitted to the mayor's office we've made that argument to mayor's chief of staff. He is the one who makes the determination as to whether or not the waivers granted thank you. Council meeting. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN, thank you for your transparency on this important issue, MR. Over just some. Quick follow up on the staffing in giving the Wonder, step understaffed. We have to use the contract. Attorneys and I think are the contract attorneys more expensive than if we used in-house attorneys like is there? Cost prison-like hourly rate like double or have times how much
we can pay someone that's on staff that we do not pay them an hourly rate. We pay them essentially at about half the rate that we pay. Our full-time attorneys. They are overall less expensive because they do not have a benefits package to include in the cost of them. Our preference is for full-time attorneys for a couple reasons. First of all, full-time attorneys we have better ability to supervise. We have better ability to train it is the community within particularly within the individual divisions. That's very helpful when you have full-time staff that have offices very close together.
We have structured the the seeding in our offices so that. All all people in a particular division or a particular team or together. So we prefer full-time. And we also full time because of our philosophy to find people coming out of law school or are interested in indigent defense and promoting them up through our office in training them through our training program. They are less expensive it's something that we have to default and we have to default to in 2023. And next and expanding our contract staff to help deal with case loads, particularly in major felony. We would prefer a full-time staff, but that's just something we MAY have to look at doing. Giving
the budget restrictions we have in 2026. Coach, thank you. Also just a comes, of course, with a public defender. Council delaying. As you stated, that you have parity with the prosecutor's office. The prosecutor stated that they are doing a really great job of. Being fully staffed. You're saying that you're not. Can you explain Not that you haven't direct answers to the disparity in staffing, but I understood to say that he was hiring from inside the county. Only and maybe that's something that I missed heard and I know his offices at here. But if there's if you could offer any kind of thought on that. You know, if I guess if you're in tree level, folks are. Earning
about the same. The issue right now with vacancies is not that the entry level or the misdemeanor level and the issue of vacancies is not at the lower felony level. The issues of vacancies that are most immediate right now are in the major felony division. That's where we have the 5. They can't attorney for positions we. We ask for additional funds in our budget that we did not get for 2026. To actually expand our major felony division by 8 additional attorney for positions on top of. The fight. They can ones because of the difficulty with the budget that that was denied I think it's critical that we feel those 5 vacant attorney for positions. I think it's critical to keep those positions filled to at least keep the major felony division operating at a case. Low-level
word is currently operating. You know, the other thing and I think it's important. You know, we want to the commission sets caseload standards for us that we need to comply with. We do not. And we never have run our attorneys that the maximum of those caseload standards, you know, 10 years ago, the goal was to run them at 80% of maximum. Right now. The goal is to run them at 70% or less than that maximum. It's because of the nature of the cases they're handling additionally, we recognize that when we do have situations of turnover, particularly in the major felony division of somebody leaves, they will leave behind a caseload that then has to be picked up by the attorneys still in that team. That's that's the reason that we created or try to create some redundancy on these teams. So each of the major felony
courts as the team lead. Who is typically who is an attorney for 2 other Attorney force. It then has an attorney that handles basically level 5 cases. There is then a contractor that handles level 5 cases. A team lead from lower felony. Also since with those level 5 cases and the reason that's important is having worked myself for 10 years and major felony if you can resolve kind of those lower-level felonies that just allows you more energy in time to focus on the higher level felonies, which are typically murders. They're typically the crimes that are very demanding. Addition to that, we we also have a contractor. So we have expanded the staff. It's just you know, we need to comply with caseload
standards. And right now we need to address those vacancies that that. Need to be addressed in major felony. Okay. I think as a whole as a body here with my colleagues, we do have some confusion about. What exactly the prosecutor's office can and does do legally versus what you are able to do. And I think that we can look at that independently with some e-mail communication and things like that to thank you. Thank you. Council council boots. Thank you, MISTER CHAIRMAN. Thank you, MR. Cazeneuve a good to see you again. As you know, that public defenders always had kind of U.S. Office spot my heart as a soft spot for your agency and question on the Status of the Union contract has that been signed?
It? It has not. And I guess respectfully, since those negotiations are ongoing, there is a confidentiality agreement that I have. So I don't know how much I can comment Good luck on stand in To knowledge, are there any incentive programs available from either the state or any federal source whereby like in the medical field. If you go to medical school and you work at a va hospital for x years, you get most of your student loans paid off anything that you've heard of in a similar vein for law students and that might work in the public sector. But we do have a loan forgiveness and if that's available for for our staff as well. I think repayment of of student loans. Yes, public
forget right. We do have that currently in our office. But that is all that we currently have with regard to repayment of student loans. Who's the source behind pays off the student loan. It's the federal federal government. It's a little remembers lender or whomever. And within right off the student loan, I believe so. Yes, you find that very effective or is an incentive to help with recruiting? I it is. It certainly is an incentive for recruiting. I think the other thing I believe that there MAY be some pending legislation. I don't know if it was in 2025 with regard to providing additional forgiveness for loans and I'm not I apologize. I don't know
what the status of that is. Thank you, sir. Accounts, thank you for your response to the Union contract information too. Respect your thoughts and like response for that. Thank you for doing that. This comes to questions. Any one of the owners can speak to the public defenders presentation. You have a list, MR. Just hours at arms clerk. Okay. In for the record. Please. Hi, I'm Lucy Frank of an attorney with Marion County Public Defender Agency. I'm in our major felony division. I've been with agents for 10 years. We have read a statement first, our clerk. Thank you, MR. To stars. Before we open the Florida public comments, we would like to remind committee members and the public a few ground rules so everyone can have a fair chance to speak
and be heard. It is important that we each observe the following rules first, each speaker will be limited to 2 minutes. Second, any public comments must reasonably relate to the agenda item under consideration. Thurs beakers straight from the item under consideration or become unduly repetitious MAY be asked to move on to their next point or conclude their comments. Finally attendees who caused disruptions that prevent the committee from proceeding through tonight's agenda in a reasonably effective manner will be removed. Please remember types of threatening speech or enticements of violence are not protected by the First Amendment at all. We will deal
with those issues if they come up. But we do not think they will. And now MISTER Chair, if committee member asked for consent to adopt these rules, we can proceed to public comment. Thank you. Thank you. As clerk, mental state, your name for the record, please. Hi, I'm Lucy for In attorney with the Marion County Public Defender Agency. Time's Up. I have my timer going. I'm watching. Boettcher. Lucy for upcoming attorney with a major felony. I'm an attorney, the Marion County Public Defender Agency. I've been with the agents for 10 in our major felony division. I'm a team lead. I'm not management, but I have ace guidance. Will I supervise? Not formally is a manager, but I I help supervise give guidance to our younger, less experienced attorneys. I have 2 quick comments. We are dying in the
major felony division. We cannot keep up with her case loads. We are not at pre covid caseload standards. If you care about public safety, I'm asking you to care about us. We are the folks that are connecting some of the lower-level felonies with all kinds of services, mental health treatments, drug treatment, housing. I don't need to preach his choir public safety is a massively complex problem. We will not solve it alone with the Public Defender Agency in the Marion County Prosecutor's office. But we are trying our level best. We give much better representation. We give much more. Thoughtful, more compassionate representation when we are appropriately staffed. I do not remember the last time that we were appropriately staffed, a major felony division. My case load
alone is over 30 and lower than my colleagues because I'm a team lead and I have to help my younger, less experienced attorneys so that's all I'll say on that front. We're desperate for more funding. We are desperate for more attorneys. The contractors range. Some of them are wonderful. We're looking to have as I'm sure everyone is aware there just isn't attorney shortage in Indiana. So I think we struggle to get competent, prosecute. Excuse me up contractors. The last thing I'll say we don't have a union contract because MR. Casanova refuses to sign a contract for us. We have been in contract negotiations since I think they started in earnest FEBRUARY of 2024 and we have not gotten the contract in that time. We are not asking for anything unusual. We are asking for really one of the mill requests that just about every other union office asks for.
So that's where we are. We are desperate for a union contract. I myself will leave the agency if we don't have a contract soon because I can't keep working in a place that does not. Value me or my well-being. Thank you so much for your comments. Anyone else care to speak to the coach news come forward. Please stay tuned for the record. My name is Ronald other arson. Proceed sight we're here today about a budget for 2026. And we organize a new unit here at the Public Defender Agency. Union contract negotiations are still ongoing. The result of those negotiations is still unknown. We don't know exactly what the pay with benefits the retirement contributions. That whole umbrella of expenses
that's label Public defender Agency. That's still sort of up in the air. It's going to be affected by whatever the contract is. I'm not here advocating for specific figure or dollar amount saying that. Seems difficult to set a budget for next year when everybody effects has a contract that still not settled. I don't know how how that your balance out, but it it's important all of us working there. Tiny little last thing. The idea that a 2.6 trust of living adjustment is actually keeping up with inflation doesn't fly. My grocery bills or tripled. And I'm still buying the same or less. I see nodding head to, you know, you know, I'm talking about and as far as loan forgiveness, I believe that that program is on hold. I know several attorneys have qualified for it are about to qualify and they receive an email saying, Yeah, we don't know if we're actually going to build to forgive your
loans. That's a federal Donald Trump issue. Not Indiana issue finance your question about incentives. Thank you for your comments and for coming on this evening. Additional comments. I'm Evan Dominguez. I'm also in the major felony unit as a team I want to echo my colleagues sentiments here, but I also wanted to talk about a couple other couple of other things. Number one, we talk about student loan forgiveness MR. Taylor us is correct that program at this point, it seems to be in flux. I know my. Current 2 years away from potential loan forgiveness. But that has been delayed several times because of gap son. So one of the things that the prosecutors office receives is they get a monthly stipend. And I know this because my wife works at the prosecutor's receives a monthly monthly stipend to help with student loan forgiveness, I assume with
budget cuts. Seems only to looking through your giving a budget increase believe of 20 million dollars to impd and cutting our funding. Councilor band, I believe use. You asked about a person who is arrested 48 times and then had done a lick of prison time what I hear when you asked that question is someone who has it deep seeded mental health issue and a city hoof. Fail spectacularly. Helping people with those types of issues. We see many homeless camps being torn down. We see people on the streets who are not. Who are not being So that is something that I would hope that this this body works on funding and helping better. The last thing I'll say is
that what the issue is not as MR. Casanova said is not the bottom level of our office, but at that. But at the top level, which I'm a part of the reason my colleagues are not being retained. As for a number of issues. Number part of parts of his issues. And if I MAY just finish my thought, i appreciate it. Part of those issues are issues with harassment. Parts of those issues are issues that pay parts. Those issues are issues with with just fundamentally being respected by our boxes. Now on most of I love my colleagues deeply. I love my supervisors deeply. I've told them many times that I would come through was for them. We need recognition of our the son of importance in this in this county and in we're wrapping up about 15 more
seconds. Thank you. And and in our courts. Thank Thank you so much. Additional comments or ques from those in the audience. Thank Marcus move. Appreciate you have agreed. Thank you. In the final presentation this evening is the Marion Community Corrections. And MR. Scott Hole and Justin Garcia. Thank you for coming on this evening. Members of the and Scott Hole executive director Mary County Community Corrections. Have just under seal with me and our cfo and we will go ahead and jump right into our presentation. Just a quick I'm not going to read every one of these screens, but just a quick overview about our agency. We do work on community-based supervision, utilizing the
electronic monitoring. We currently have just over 3400 clients that we are supervising here in Marion County. That includes pre trial and work release as well as post conviction, electronic monitoring. In 2024. We supervise the total of 7,000 different individuals throughout that year. Dealt with over 53,000 alerts. When we talk about those alerts and that that number alone, that's just counting at night and weekends and holidays. That's just what our call center dealt with during the course of 2024. So that Twain that call center is a pretty unique aspect to Marion County and allows us to to address a lot more issues than we normally would between 8, 4, 30. From a
staffing perspective we have 5 divisions within community corrections. Our community supervision or post conviction, electronic monitoring pretrial supervision, residential supervision, work release facility at the ball operations, which is our call center and our processing. And then finance and accreditation or administrative staff. So we're located across 3 buildings within Marion County. Most of our staff are here in this building. Case management on the first floor and our administrative staff on the 5th floor. We have a small footprint out at the community, Justice campus and courthouse and then Deval Residential Center, which I will address a little bit more late later, we have a total of 204 positions budgeted for roughly 200 and 179 currently
filled. We have been working diligently to not just attract staff but retain staff to retention part has been a. Some of the strip. Our strongest emphasis one of the things that really what decides the trainings that we talk about here through new training initiatives, appreciation, workplace diversity or mission vision values and employee engagement. One of the things we really have has stressed is getting staff too larger conferences to network with other agencies departments across the state and across the nation. Very proud to say that last year, 15 different individuals or nearly a 3rd of our staff attended either a statewide or national conference. The national conferences I'm talking about are either the American Probation or Parole Association or the American
Correctional Association of 2 agencies. We are most actively engaged with. Some of our programming in fiscal successes. We've worked very hard to to handle trainings in-house and and that means certifying staff in in various trainings that we provide both to our own staff and 2 our clients. So issues such as thinking for change court correctional practices, mental health first aid we have individuals that cover 125 different facilitators and certifications in 25 discipline. So that allows us to provide the services to our clients at no cost. The law also allows us to provide the services to our partners such as probation and their clients as well. And we don't charge them. So we served over 166
clients last year coming from not just our agency probation and the prosecutor. In addition of those staff to have those certifications, we've had 10 different staff chosen by those and that national associations provide 8 separate trainings last year. In community engagement and outreach, you know, won't read the whole thing. But we have worked hard to to work in the community specifically with keep eating apples beautiful. Second helpings donating large number of hours. There. We've partnered with acc and the Poor translation Services getting additional documents that we that we utilize translated not just in Spanish, but as was mentioned earlier are growing
Burmese population. Community partnerships. We continue with the Welcome Home initiative that we've talked about in the last couple years, providing both food and hygiene items to clients in need. And then we've continued try to grow or social media and community presence through electronic means. Our 2026 goals are to continue to expand kind of our electronic services digitize a lot of things we do. Unfortunately, we're still pretty paper based as an agency. We want to continue to expand some of our offerings an electronic format from process ina and signing people up for services to power apps for victim Services finalizing a GIs map with our Information Services agency. Currently it's in place for our staff to be able to utilize. But we
want to expand that where we can provide that app. Free of charge to our clients, which would show them where services are throughout the county right there at the click of a button. Continue to do invest in our staff development through trainings and getting staffed to conferences and then. Continue with our fiscal responsibility. You know, by training staff in house and not having to pay for outside trains to come in. And we believe we continue to do that. Our our completion rates will continue to improve improving public safety and reducing recidivism. The other things we're working towards are increasing our incentives sentence, modifications. What
I mean by that is if someone's doing well in the program and making progress towards completing their sentence that we have a program in place that allows them to take some time off on the end if they're participating in programming and doing so diligently, we are. Currently and this is kind of our biggest priority right now. Thanks to this council, providing some funding. We're working with all of them right now on a facility assessment of Duval the age and condition of all warrants. A new facility is is my. Blunt statement on this. Last year in 2024, we spent over $70,000 in unexpected repairs or replacements for equipment that is just breaking down. We have already
spent over 110,000 dollars here in 2025, this is again for things like different kitchen equipment for air-conditioning units for plumbing issues. And this isn't even counting known issues that we have that we are able to band aid at this time and move move forward with such as replacing the roof of the ball, which would be approximately 1.3 million dollars. Replacing a walk-in freezer. That would be between 50 $60,000. And right now we are renting a generator for the facility to repair or or to replace the generator that we have. Will it be another
50, $60,000? And with that, let's just and kind go over the specific numbers in our budget. Record review. Work for Just highlights. So for 2026 are projected budget is 22 million, 409, $2,408. That split between 7 funds. 3 of those funds account for 93% of that total projected budget. And this next basically just breaks it down by character and year. So for 2026, we're looking at. 462,000. Dollar difference from from 2025. Al Qaeda get into where difference comes from. A majority of it. It's going to be character. 3. Next slide is
our revenue. We're projecting a little over a million dollars in revenue. For 2026. About 99% of that revenue comes from user fees from our electronic monitoring. Work release clients and residents. And additional 85,000 comes from our community transition program. Our fees are structured to support fairness. Basically Bay utilizing financial analysis, worksheets and take into account current property rights. Also residents at the ball do receive 30 days you can see to assist with the transition. Followed by financial analysis, next slide is our grandson currently received 2 grants. I receive a grant from the Indiana Department of Correction and also the Justice Assistance Grant. Those grants total just a little over 6 million dollars. We also have full
time specialist who has been working DeLeon. I'm trying to locate additional grants. Area has gotten a lot harder, especially this year. We're trying to work through those issues trying to locate federal and state grants that are still available just to be Frank. Next is our character. One breakdown. Character. One is going to account for 66% of our total budget. This year. We're seeing difference actual increases just under $80,000. This is mainly in part to call adjustments and also health insurance increases. We do have comply with the 4% Reserve. That was a question about Florida. Do so. We. Reduced for active positions and a savings of $303,000. And then also removed additional $220,000 based off of our attrition rate, which is currently at 11%. Those to
raise some concerns one budget mainly the attrition rate. Does reduce. We could have issues with with funding Kirkland. Also because issues with overtime, we have to limit those opportunities which could cause safety issues at the ball as well as our 24 hour. Clock services. Furthermore, kind in. This is just kind of worst case scenario. We could see additional staffing reductions due to some of the funding contracts right now. That's that's not even the conversation. But just kind of looking in the future of case loads attrition of all that can hit once. We could be in a bad spot. Next as curator too. To see a slight decrease in character too. This is less than one percent of our budget. It's been a lot of time on that slide. Or 3 is
our next slide. This accounts for 3, 3%, of our total budget. We are seeing a decrease of just under $480,000 character. Cooper 3. Most of that was due to decrease of to comply with the 4% Reserve. That decrease was a total just under 500,000. Concerns with their character, 3 budget. It's going to limit our ability to increase opportunities only for employees, but also for our clients. Also and Scott kind of alluded to this, but we have a lot of concerns about ball and a lot of the repair costs. At that facility. Character for. All right. This is also less than one percent of our budget. Seeing a decrease of $50,000 mainly due to a loss of 2 would have capital funds. That word we utilize lacked last couple years to purchase holes. All
of our our vehicle fleet fully upgraded. So we no needs. Couple of a performance metrics that tracked regularly, not just for this body and for this presentation, but also for the Department of Corrections who audits us. We have been working to decrease our caseload sizes, obviously lower caseload sizes equals better service to our clients. And we've. Been able to hit. Close to the numbers that we're looking for. The attrition does still keep us a little bit higher than what we would like. We have been improving our training hours as we have already talked about the biggest thing we've
done from 24 to 25 really increased our peer reviews really stretching back. We go to back to 2023. We started that quality assurance team or get them ramp back up in 2020 at the end of 23 because we had only done 5 peer reviews that year in 2024. That jumped up to 52 with the average score of those staff that were audited at 85% so far this year. We've already completed 50 and again with the average score of about 80. So we're hoping to continue to improve both of those numbers just couple final as overview begin serving over 7,000 clients in in 2024, we've done a lot of really good things individually. Charles Kelly, one of our managers continues
to put on a leadership development class internally. It's a program that he developed and has since been selected to present that both state and nationally. So we're very happy about that. Our completion rate in in. 2020 4 was 76%. So that what that means is at the end of their sentence of an individual was sentenced to 2 years with community corrections. 76% of those individuals finish their sentence with us without either. To me, a new offense or being revoked due to technical violations. Obviously, it's a number we want to continue to improve upon. But I am pretty proud of the fact that 76% of
individuals are completing that program. Icicle Rooney, one of the lieutenants out it Deval one of our corrections officers was the residential employee of the year statewide for our statewide association. How Mishler our manager over our call center and processing staff was selected to participate in the Leadership Institute. One thing that's important to note about that that's a very competitive program. Were they selected vigils from all over the nation? Only about 20 to 30 people in each class that year. Kyle finishes that program, he'll be the 3rd person from our agency to of completed that institute in the last 8 years. So I don't there are very few agencies in the nation that can match
that. That number captain Jeffrey has graduate from the statewide Leadership Academy through the Indiana Department of Corrections. And this is Finishing a secondary program they put on have a grad school version of that leadership Academy. We continue to decrease our critical incidents. As an agency but read all of these. But we are increasing our cooperation with law enforcement. We have always worked really well with impd. But in 2024 we conducted 47 home visits with which resulted in 34 rest 59 guns being confiscated over 45,000 grams of drugs seized out of the ball. We served over 600 clients over the course of the year averaging about 120 clients per day. For that number realizing that individuals are living there. 24 7, we had only 18 drug incidents and how we define a drug incident is any time a
person has a. Reaction at all to a drug to just some sort of drug. So this isn't necessarily what you MAY typically you as a overdose where someone is passing out or require significant medical attention, even if someone is just, you know, increased heart rate, something along those lines relatively minor. We still track. Then the only have 18 of those incidents throughout the year with we feel is a pretty significant number. And we only had 6 use-of-force incidents during the course of the year. And once again, we we have a pretty broad policy of what we call use of force one of our corrections officers lays
hands individually they're not striking them with just grabbing them to to move them from one location to another. We count that as a use of force, we've not had any that violated policy. And again, only 6 times where we having too be in a situation where we had to put hands on a resident due to what was occurring again, a number that's continuing to go down and we are pretty pleased with when you consider about the number of interactions that we have during the course of the day, let alone a year. The last thing I want to just repeat being mindful of everyone's time. But cannot stress enough the importance of the future
of the ball and the age and condition of that facility. The expenses that we are putting towards it. And as Justin mentioned, the reserves. If everything holes holds normal, those reserves will not have a tremendous negative impact on our ability to to serve our clients or or work with our staff. But the unknowns regarding ball, our mask and as a as I've already talked about it and in just under 2 years, we've spent nearly $200,000 over and above normal cost. And I understand the the tight fiscal times. Believe me. I understand that. But I also know that the building is not getting newer
and those costs will continue because it's just the nature of that facility. We have great think and staff will do a tremendous job with trying to preventative maintenance that building. At the end of the day, a 20 year-old pole barn converted into a work release facility just has a natural limitations. And I will continue to harp on that. But it is that is our priority and focus as we move forward as an agency. One last thing I do want address that. A question was brought up during prior presentation regarding the grant funds that were statewide from the Department of Corrections. Those funds actually come through the Marion County between Corrections Advisory Board is a county wide grant that is is
mostly funding Marion County Community Corrections. But it is split to other agencies such as the prosecutor as well as the sheriff probation and superior courts and that grant was cut by 7 million dollars statewide here in Marion County. That impact was a little over 1 million dollars about one point to spread out over all of those agencies. As the prosecutor said, his he's prosecutors diversion program was zeroed out completely as well as probation. Pre-trial services in jail treatment program. Those programs were all zeroed out and and then the problem solving courts also redactions as well, which actually impact to us because the funding that was cut from those from those various
problem, solving courts were case management positions from our agency will not impact our staffing will continue to do so. But that funding was cut. And I believe questions where the reason for that was actually not a legislative decision. When we looked into this, this was actually a situation where the Indiana Department of Corrections internally made the decision to 2 cup from that grant. Ultimately that I can't speak to all the reasons why that was. But I do know that they're our cost overruns in prison that's being built in. And I think that's happened. Huge impact on their budget in a negative way. So with that, i am open question Thank appreciate you, man. You staff program work to do in our city. And for residents. Commerce. A question for the
director. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'm just curious. Director Hall is your office. Mandatory by state statute? It is. Well, it's not mandatory. So it's created by state statute. Each county has the option of creating a community corrections agency it is their choice. So, for example, in the state of Indiana, there are now because one county just come online, 90 of the 92 counties have community corrections. It's 78 different programs. 78 different agencies there. A handful of agencies that are come comprised of multiple counties because of the size. For example, Ohio and Switzerland are a combined program Pike
and Gibson. I there's a handful of of programs where their combined multiple counties. So it is not a requirement, but it is defined how we would operate defined by state statute. Okay. And the reason I'm asking just as you know, we talk about reductions in property taxes. Budget cuts need to departments and agencies. It just kind of struck me as those in here. You know, hopefully you can ask about what why does exist with you'd like to share like what the type of work you guys do, you know, with the sheriff's office in the Cjc or sure would phs or or the courts. I'm just curious why. There's not a consolidation effort there. Become might be a little bit confused. But as far as like the services that we provide to provide. Yeah,
yeah. You know, everyone handles it differently, but across the state. Electronic monitoring is handled by community corrections worker Lisa, strictly a community corrections function so. I suppose there is no, there isn't anything that stopping. Other entities from taking over electronic monitoring probation did handle electronic monitoring for pretrial and condition of probation cases for a period of time. Upon my taking over as director. It was. Given back to. And and so. It's it's a bigger lift and maybe some some people realize the amount of. Information and have effort that goes into those devices. And said the 53,000 alerts that are generated just overnight during the course of the year. It is pretty
significant. So I do think that. Consolidation, if it if it were an option, would just be shifting of costs more so than a consolidation because at the end of the day, the numbers of clients that were serving in the number of alerts, those are generated. They're not gonna be able be handled by by lesser. By a lesser number of staff. You just be they might have a different title. Okay. Thank you for it. Went council additional comments. Custom oops. Thank you, MISTER CHAIRMAN, thank you. Grateful for your presentation. Cfo. There's his will just a couple quick questions. The what is
the status of the Duval Center assessment and what's going to be the product and when might we expect the I don't have a good timeline on that. I know that a police purchasing department just selected the vendor that will be utilized for that. I don't know the name of that group, but I know that is just recently been finalized and I'm hoping to hear about it. Date for them to come and visit the facility soon. I know in speaking with the controller they had some internal movement staff wise person that overseeing the project is has moved on and it's a new person. So I think that probably delayed them some. But I know it is something that they are trying to move as quickly as possible. Finally. The clarification digital kiosks
that are in the. Township offices. Those are the explain their purpose who manages confused, whether that's probation or occ, those a probation he asked now we are able to accept payments. The kiosk been set up to be able to accept various payments on to them. Besides just probation We get very, very out of the township virtually nothing. But there is a kiosk. One of those kiosk is here in the lobby of the city County building people are able to make payments through that for their user fees. With us. What typically make up those user fees are the child support? Are the not monitoring feeling there out as part of being on electronic monitoring. There
is a daily fee that is charge that's between 0, 1, $8. Again, this goes to what Mr Garcia was talking about as far the analysis that can be done. Short of that, the analysis and that requires obviously the client providing various information that basic fees set on poverty standard. So if you are 200% were over federal poverty limit, then you pay the full fee of $8. If you are between 150 and 200, it is $4. If you're below 150 or declared indigent by the courts and it set at 0. And those those accumulate thank you some additional comments or questions gas agrees. I think Titian this evening. MR. Garcia on character. Budget decreasing mentioned. The
effects were limited ability to increase opportunities for employee employees and programming for clients. You also mentioned the limited ability to increase participation Xb. Can you explain that? Our little to participation xp? Yes. Meantime, looking at contracts. We there's a formal process sometimes those processes with the way out and just comes down to cost the associated with some of those contracts. We have quite a few contracts. We always try to prioritize x p e pretty proud of our participation with xp would like to continue doing that. Sometimes. As I said, when you look at these different contracts, it just comes down to services that are provided and the cost associated with the services. And sometimes when your budgets limited, sometimes you just have to do with the cheapest. And no. You're saying that there are no
businesses. Have come in at a low enough in such a that you're you're now finding that this budget shortage is creating reason no longer use minority women-owned businesses. This is veteran-owned businesses. No turn up. That is a concern that we have moving forward based on the budget. Constraints. So that's always been a priority for the agency. And that would that's basically a concern that we have forward. What? Yeah, I mean, really what we're talking about is we can't increase the number of contracts that were warning because we won't have the budget to add new contracts. The mean at this point a budget is flat were cut in character. 3. We can't
increase. The number of contracts were. Think it's interesting that sure you guys found cuts necessary across budget spectrum but that play out the Xb was interesting. Also, art, my understanding is that these as exit participants are competing with just like anyone else. They just identified as p e. So you guys can you credit for using as be participants? Not necessarily saying that they are getting something I suppose some cake. They are the cake. I don't understand any any anything other than that. I mean, I think it's probably just semantics are confusing, but what we're talking about is not being able to expand the number of contracts were awarded. We have the contracts that are already in place, but we have
no ability to. I mean, there are services that different fires provide some of those are expecting some of them are. With our budget constraint. We're not gonna be able to go into an additional training program or add this new service. Regardless of who's providing it because the funds won't be there. And that's that is the question has come up in past years. How are we going to expand our ex pe percentage? And that was kind of where this question are for this. That line was directed that were not able to we're not going to be able to expand that moving forward because the budget is what that character, 3 is going to allow expansion of contracts period. Forgive me. But my understanding is that the ESPYs with we're competing for
the business opportunity just like everybody else. You put that out there. Which interesting to me. Thank MR. CHAIRMAN, thank you. Council final comments. Anyone the orders could speak to the community. Corrections budget. Thank you so much. Hope Committee members. Thank you so much for your time this evening. Have a great night.