CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — A new Franklin County program is helping people facing criminal charges find housing, mental health treatment, employment and other services before they are sentenced, with the goal of reducing repeat offenses and improving their chances of rebuilding their lives.
Public Defender Casey Bogner told the Franklin County Commission on Oct. 28 that the Anchor Program has enrolled 18 participants since it began accepting referrals around March 1.
The program focuses primarily on low-level, nonviolent defendants who cannot afford an attorney and whose circumstances may have contributed to their involvement with the criminal justice system.
Rather than waiting until defendants are convicted and sentenced, the program attempts to address problems that could make it difficult for them to comply with court requirements or avoid future arrests.
“The goal of the program is to support individuals involved in the justice system,” Bogner said. “We want to promote stability and reduce some of the stressors they face by connecting them with resources within the community.”
Addressing needs before sentencing
Standing for Assessment of Needs, Collaboration, Holistic Support, Outreach and Resources, the Anchor Program is a joint initiative among the Franklin County Jail, the courts and the public defender’s office.
Participation is voluntary and is not imposed as a criminal sentence. Defendants referred to the program meet with a designated case manager who assesses their needs and connects them with community services.
Bogner said housing is among the greatest need, followed by food assistance, employment, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, medical care and transportation.
Transportation can be particularly difficult for defendants who must attend court hearings, counseling appointments and job interviews without reliable access to a vehicle.
Some participants also need clothing, hygiene supplies, job training or help developing basic life skills.
Bogner cautioned that referrals do not guarantee access to services. Many community programs have waiting lists, and participants may face eligibility restrictions or limited availability.
The program is designed to help defendants before a conviction creates additional obstacles to finding housing or employment.
“In the criminal justice system, these people who have these needs and find themselves in the criminal justice system, sometimes the outcome of that system, the conviction or the sentence, actually makes it harder to fulfill those needs,” Bogner said.
She described a cycle in which criminal penalties can make it more difficult for people to resolve the problems that contributed to their legal troubles.
Who qualifies?
Commissioner John Flannery asked Bogner how the program determines whether a defendant qualifies as indigent.
Bogner explained that the public defender’s office uses a graduated scale based on federal poverty guidelines and the nature of the charges. Some defendants may qualify for court-appointed counsel with incomes as high as 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
Defendants who are incarcerated are automatically considered indigent in Franklin County because they cannot earn income while in jail.
Referrals can come from defense attorneys, judges or jail staff. Bogner said jail employees sometimes identify potential participants during booking, before they have appeared in court.
Although defendants can participate without approval from prosecutors or judges, any reduction or withdrawal of charges generally requires an agreement involving defense counsel and the prosecution or court.
Measuring success
The program’s case manager is funded through an indigent defense grant and works from the county’s Community Connections building, with access to the courthouse, public defender’s office and jail.
Bogner said the jail warden technically supervises the program, while her office also helps manage it.
The program currently has 18 participants, but Bogner said officials have not yet established a uniform definition of successful completion.
Some participants may obtain reduced charges or sentences and then move into programs that provide assistance after sentencing. Others may need support over a much longer period.
“We haven’t quite measured what successful completion means,” Bogner said.
She said many of the 18 participants have already had some of their needs addressed, although the county does not yet have long-term results showing whether the program reduces repeat offenses by intervening before criminal convictions make it even harder for defendants to obtain the help they need.
