WHAT WE DO

View SJSCI's Community Engagement Model

The problems of substance abuse generally and meth specifically, as well as gangs and crime are increasing in San Juan County. These problems are growing at a greater pace than the resources available to address them. For example, 40% of the county budget goes to law enforcement and incarceration.

The county budget is approximately $ 120 million. This county is spending over $ 45 million dollars a year on law enforcement and incarceration. And among the population in our jail, over 85% are there for drug related charges. If you add the amount of money law enforcement is spending, as well as social services, health care, etc., one can begin to see the scope of the problem.

What the San Juan Safe Communities Initiative hopes to accomplish is a comprehensive, sensible approach to the problems of substance abuse and criminal activity. We want to pool resources where it is possible. We want to coordinate efforts where it makes sense to do so. We want to provide support to those organizations that are working to make San Juan County a better place to live.

SJSCI is currently working to establish a strategy for achieving these objectives. The strategy currently encompasses the following areas

Coordination

Currently, San Juan County has many different organizations working on the same problems. For example, many of the crimes that occur in the county by an individual occur in Farmington, Bloomfield, Aztec, Kirtland, or other outlying areas. We often have several agencies investigating the same individuals. This results in tremendous duplication of effort. We hope to establish mechanisms that promote interagency cooperation in a systematic way. One proposal being considered and worked on by our law enforcement task force is co-locating all investigative units in the county into one building. This would organize our crime fighting efforts and create an opportunity for investigators to meet and brief each other daily, creating a much more efficient and effective approach to reducing crime.

Another approach to the problem of substance abuse being considered is an assessment center. This center would be responsible for providing an assessment for anyone with a substance abuse problem. Currently, anyone seeking treatment or evaluation is sent to any one of a variety of providers for an assessment. The treatment is often prescribed and provided by the same provider who conducted the assessment. By separating the tasks of assessment and treatment, we can avoid ethical questions that could arise.

The most meaningful approach we can have to the problem of substance abuse and criminal activity is to prevent them from happening in the first place. The prevention task force is currently evaluating all existing programs in the community and identifying what we can do as a community to improve our approach to prevention. All currently providers are being identified, as well as all partners who would be required to participate in a large scale, positive approach to educating individuals about the consequences of substance abuse.

Collaboration

Many of the experts working in law enforcement, treatment, and prevention spend all of their time working in their individual fields of expertise. Promoting communication between the partners within the Initiative help maintain an ongoing dialogue. Sharing ideas and perspectives can generate new approaches to solving old problems. There are also many tools available within one discipline that could have equally valid application within another discipline. Promoting ongoing communication and working together toward shared goals can dramatically improve the effectiveness of each of the individual disciplines.

Measuring Outcomes

Another role the Initiative will perform is the development of measurable outcomes for each of the disciplines. As part of our strategy, we will work with our members to develop the intended outcomes. We will then provide expertise and tools to help members achieve those outcomes. We will also establish benchmarks along the way to measure progress and modify our plans when necessary.

Support

We want to assist in establishing policy in relation to substance abuse and criminal activity, and support those working in those areas by establishing standards, coordinating efforts, and providing any other support deemed necessary. Our goal is to support those providing services to clients, not providing services ourselves. We want to serve those who serve. We hope to be a source of revenue, not compete for revenue with service providers. We want to coordinate and disseminate information both internally and externally regarding efforts to reduce substance abuse and criminal activity.

Questions or suggestions? email us!