FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Justice Assistance was founded in 1978.

  • Our annual budget is approximately $2.4MM.

  • The organization provides services to approximately 1,100 crime victims and 1,300 defendants annually.

  • Using the Comparative Costs and Benefits of Programs to Reduce Crime formula published by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy, Justice Assistance saves the Rhode Island taxpayer $3.71 per day for each justice-involved individual we serve. In 2022 the total state savings was $1,489,565.

  • No. In 2022, the state court reimbursement $345.71, or 56%, of the cost per client.

  • The organization has many financing initiatives including third-party billing, corporate, foundation, and individual donations, special event fundraising, federal grants, and management/consulting contracts.

  • The clinical and other health care services provided by Justice Assistance are fully certified by Medicare, Medicaid, and many private third-party insurers to bill for services delivered.

  • Until 2021, Justice Assistance determined, collected, and distributed restitution payments. Today, Justice Assistance and the State Court’s Central Registry work in unison to support the crime victim. The distribution of restitution is through Central Registry on a monthly basis. All notification, follow-up and wrap-around service are the obligation of Justice Assistance.

  • The organization worked with the courts to create a specific day of the week for reviews – Monday in 3rd Division, Tuesday in 2nd Division, Wednesday in 6th Division, and Friday in 4th Division. Although some may think it ideal to be in court daily, it is not a practical and best use of a case manager’s time. Appearing in court one day per week affords the case manager the time necessary to conduct client services and court-required follow-up.

  • In 1985, the state courts invited Justice Assistance to design and implement a case management system for those individuals whose criminal complaint was filed with a sanction. The individuals referred to Justice Assistance are not sentenced and consequently do not fall under the purview of the state’s probation system. We provide our service to avoid potential conflicts – real or implied – between the bench, bar, crime victim and defendant as well as to ensure that the power and authority of the court is adhered to in a timely manner and that the court is properly notified when it is not.

  • The primary difference between the two organizations is that Justice Assistance’s clients are not sentenced. The secondary difference is philosophical: First, at Justice Assistance victim services and offender responsibility are not mutually exclusive; and Second, Justice Assistance manages the court order while probation monitors the custody and control of the individual. This is evidenced by our established and effective nationally recognized service delivery model – a restorative justice model with a demonstrated rate of success.

  • Justice Assistance supplies the court administrator with a monthly status summary report. In addition, members of the judiciary receive an electronic annual report that provides a statistical summary report for the year as well as comparison reports for the previous 4-year period.