Weber County Utah
Commission | Posted 01-23-2026
Weber County aims for regional approach to reduce crime, save taxpayer dollars
By: Dr. Daniel Lancaster, Utah Indigent Defense Commission, and Laura Andelin, Weber County Sheriff’s Office
What if reducing crime also saved taxpayer money–and helped people successfully return to their communities?
In Weber County, early results from a set of collaborative justice programs suggest that this is not only possible, but already happening. Early outcomes data suggests pilot efforts focused on reentry support and forensic social work have helped reduce local recidivism by 45 percent, while also saving money across the criminal justice system.
Crime is something no community wants. But how we respond to it matters. Community costs rise and public safety remains stagnant when people repeatedly cycle through jail without support to address mental illness, addiction or basic stability needs. Jails become default mental health providers, courts struggle to resolve cases efficiently and communities bear the long-term impact. Simply put, if our efforts to correct criminal behavior don’t actually reduce the risk of future crime–known as recidivism–criminal justice gets very expensive, very quickly.
Weber County’s approach has been different. Instead of working in silos, local partners have focused on coordination, evidence-based practices and continuity of care–both inside the jail and after release–with early data demonstrating a reduction in local recidivism by 45 percent while saving money across all criminal justice operations.
Inside the Weber County Jail, as part of a program known as Weber Reentry Success Services, case managers and peer support work one-on-one with people preparing to return home. Rather than handing someone a list of phone numbers upon release, case managers work with incarcerated individuals to create individualized plans for their reentry to the community and provide “warm hand-offs”–meaning clients are directly connected to services. Peer support helps those with substance use concerns build recovery skills and identify both internal strengths and external support. Meanwhile, the Regional Forensic Social Work Office, funded by a Utah legislative appropriation, uses clinical social workers to evaluate indigent defendants and provide consultation to public defenders. As a result, court orders more effectively target the actual issues driving a defendant’s criminal behavior.
According to both program administrators, Laura Andelin and Daniel Lancaster, the key to success has been the ability of these programs to share key client information while maintaining protections related to confidentiality and constitutional rights. Working under attorney-client privilege, forensic social workers investigate a defendant’s history and bring that information to bear on clinical evaluation and treatment recommendations. They also share clinical information to help jail systems more effectively manage inmates with severe mental illness. Meanwhile, operating as part of Weber County Sheriff’s Office, the reentry team coordinates between the jail and community systems, ensuring shared clients do not fall through the cracks as they walk out of the jail. Here again, clients with severe mental illness benefit most as reentry case managers actively work to resolve barriers that the client cannot navigate–issues like transportation, continuity of psychiatric medication, healthcare coverage and housing support.
These programs are changing how the jail functions and how people leave it. They make the jail safer, improve outcomes after release and allow deputies to focus on safety rather than crisis management.
“Working alongside our reentry staff and forensic social workers has changed the way we do this work,” Lieutenant Driggs of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office said. “This collaboration has made the jail safer, improved outcomes and shifted how deputies see the people in our care,” he continued. “We’re not just managing a jail anymore; we’re helping people get back to their communities in a better place.”
Community partners who serve justice-involved clients, especially those with addiction or mental illness, report additional benefits and improved client outcomes.
“These programs have drastically improved coordination of care and have been vital in assuring that individuals with justice involvement are linked with appropriate behavioral health treatment and needed community resources,” Jed Burton, clinical director of Weber Human Services, said. He went on to note that clients who work with reentry and forensic social work are more likely to engage and remain in treatment. “Weber Human Services believes in value-based care,” Jed continued, “Both programs have demonstrated a great return on investment.”
That return is measurable. Data from the Regional Forensic Social Work Pilot Program underscores this point, as it has operated under budget throughout pilot operations and yielded almost $1 million in operational savings through reducing the use of jail beds, expediting legal case resolution and averting costs to the Utah State Hospital. These results show why integrated justice approaches matter. When we invest in approaches that address the root causes of crime, public safety improves and costs go down. Sustaining this work is an investment in both public safety and the people tasked with maintaining it. The early results are promising. The opportunity now is to ensure that this progress continues. With continued support, the long-term benefits can extend far beyond Weber County.