by Emma Folts and Rich Lord
At the Foundation of HOPE, Jody Raeford is looking to ensure community members aren’t arrested for behaviors rooted in unmet behavioral health needs.
The nonprofit works to prevent youth and young adults in the North Side from entering the criminal justice system for committing a low-level, first-time offense, such as theft. Through referrals from police officers, family members and other partners, the foundation connects residents ages 12 through 26 with mental health services or mentors as part of a voluntary program.
“We’re looking at systemic change,” said Raeford, the organization’s executive director. “We’re looking at, ‘how can we affect our local community so that people are not getting arrested for things that have nothing to do with criminality?’”
The diversion program lasts about six months, and charges are typically dropped afterward, Raeford said. Of the 54 residents who participated in the program in 2019, 53 did not reoffend within six months, an expectation of the program.
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Now, the Foundation of HOPE is planning to expand its diversion services beyond youth. The city announced in late July that it will receive funding alongside the Congress of Neighboring Communities [CONNECT] to develop a pre-arrest diversion program for adults who commit low-level offenses. Zone 1 in the North Side will serve as the site of a pilot program, which the foundation will manage.
The city’s announcement comes amid residents’ continued calls for fundamental changes to policing following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Though diversion may address the harms of over-policing on Black and Brown communities and individuals with behavioral health needs, advocates and community members note that the success of these programs depends on implementation and buy-in from police and other stakeholders.
Jody Raeford is the executive director of the Foundation of HOPE, a nonprofit that works to prevent youth and young adults in the Northside from entering the criminal justice system for committing a low-level, first-time offense. (Photo by Ryan Loew/PublicSource)
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