Early Implementation Findings from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Intake Booking Diversion Program

• In Event: Issues in Public Safety and Policing

Abstract

A growing body of research suggests that the arrest and incarceration of individuals experiencing mental health needs fails to improve treatment or recidivism outcomes and puts other inmates and correctional officers at risk. At the same time, patrol officers acting as first responders often have few practical alternatives to arrest when responding to mental health crisis calls. Co-responder models that pair mental health professionals with first-responding officers to improve de-escalation and diversion to treatment at the point of arrest show promise, but there is a need to explore how these models translate to upstream intercept points. In February 2024, the Mental Evaluation Team (MET) of the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department (LASD) launched the Intake Booking Diversion program (IBD) to create pathways to community-based treatment for individuals where there is a nexus between the alleged incident and an individual’s mental health needs. We will present findings from a formative implementation evaluation to document the theory of change associated with the IBD model and common themes from interviews with system actors three months into implementation. Specifically, we will present findings from focus groups with LASD deputies in implementation sites to document early successes and challenges associated with shifting law enforcement practices.

Authors

• Jennifer A. Tallon, Center for Justice Innovation

• Elise Jensen, Center for Justice Innovation