EL PASO, Texas – (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso County commissioners are set to hear new recommendations today aimed at changing what happens after someone is arrested, before they are fully booked into jail.

A recent evaluation of the county’s pretrial justice system found success but also room for improvement.

The system covers what happens from the time someone is arrested until they are booked, screened or released.

Last year, the county contracted the Center for Effective Public Policy, or CEPP, to evaluate current procedures and recommend ways to make the process more efficient.

FULL REPORT

The review identified four possible areas for improvement.

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One recommendation calls for expanding the use of DIMS, the District Attorney Intake Management System.

DIMS is a collaboration between law enforcement and the district attorney that allows prosecutors to see whether a charge has enough evidence to move forward with a case.

According to agenda documents, DIMS has been used more frequently since 2023.

However, CEPP found it is used in fewer than 40 percent of charges.

The report says that when DIMS is used, about 30 percent of charges are declined.

The presentation recommends expanding DIMS to 100 percent of eligible cases.

CEPP says that would impact daily admissions, which average 59 a day.

Another recommendation focuses on restructuring the booking process.

According to the review, the median time from arrival at the jail to completing the booking process is more than eight hours, keeping arresting officers off the street.

To help, CEPP recommends conducting a medical screening upon arrival.

After that, custody would transfer to the sheriff, allowing officers to return to patrol.

The recommendations also include using remote processing for some cases and expanding the use of citations or summons instead of arrests for certain low-level offenses.

The report says the changes could reduce unnecessary jail admissions and shorten detention times while preserving public safety.

FULL PRESENTATION

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