Over a five year period, 266 offenders in Hennepin County, Minnesota spent on average one day out of every seven in county funded facilities like jails, shelters, and detox centers, costing the county over $4.2 million. Nearly all 266 offenders relied heavily on social services and health programs. The offenders often faced challenges like chemical dependency, mental health issues, poor housing histories, and criminal records that made it difficult for them to stabilize their situations. Analyzing data on these frequent users of county resources found that they accounted for a disproportionate amount of bed days and identifying strategies could help reduce costs and dependency.

1. Paying for Housing One Night at a Time
Vol. 1 No. 1 • March 2007
Over a five year period, 266 offenders spent an Churning through Social Service
average of one-out-of-every-seven days in a
county funded facility costing Hennepin County Almost all of the 266 offenders used health, support
more than $4.2 million. and behavioral related health services.
266 Social Service Use
Bed Hopping: Jails and Shelters
Unknown 0.40%
Offenders often have difficulty stabilizing Work Support 1.50%
their situations because of chemical
Veteran Services 5.60%
dependency problems, mental health issues,
Front Door 9.40%
poor housing histories, limited incomes and
Eligibility Health Related
criminal records. 94.70%
Eligibility Support
The Resource Drain 96.20%
Child, Youth & Families 8.60%
A recent analysis of offenders on probation in Child Protection 8.60%
2007 found 266 offenders who spent 68,566 Aging/ Disability 4.10%
days in Hennepin County’s Adult Correctional Behavioral Health 77.40%
Facility, Adult Detention Center, emergency
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
shelters (Harbor Lights, Catholic Charities and
Simpson Housing Services) or detoxification
facilities. Criminal Offense History (Hennepin County only)

Nearly one-fourth of the 266 accounted for  90% had warrants issued for failure to appear
half of the shelter, detox or jail bed days. in court for a total of 1,539 missed court
Total Number of Days in County Funded Facilities (n=266) appearances.
 18.4% had been convicted of a violent felony
crime (murder, rape, robbery or assault).
ACF
18,106
 The 266 had nearly 2,500 criminal convictions
Shelter 26% in their criminal histories; 72% were for
28,770 misdemeanors.
42%  All were active on probation supervision in
January 2007 by definition;
 50% were on supervision for a narcotics or
Detox Jail
18,511
theft charges.
3,179
5% 27%
Profile of the 266 Reducing Cost and Dependency: How Much Bang
Issue Brief for the County Buck?
1. What identification tools are available to detect
 246 (92%) were male
cyclical service users?
 The average age was 41 years old.
 215 (81%) were African American, 44 2. How does the County develop a “targeted services
(16.5%) were White, six were Native model” so that cyclical users receive an appropriate
service dose?
American and one person was Asian.
3. Are there cost-effective strategies for reducing the
 111 (42%) had at least one detox admit in
level of service consumption among cyclical service
2002-2006.
users?
Hennepin County Office of Criminal Justice Policy & Planning
C-2353 Government Center • Minneapolis, Minnesota 55487-0238 • 612-348-8981