Retooling Criminal Justice Responses for Equity and Continued Public Safety

Cities have already begun to alter arrest and detention practices in order to support social or physical distancing and related measures in response to COVID-19. In many cases, these alterations continue efforts underway to retool local public safety efforts to rely less on high and disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates. Sustained momentum with such practices will reduce risks for several groups:   The nation’s three million first responders;   Persons experiencing mental health crises, substance use disorder issues, and homelessness, who might otherwise go to jail;