Boone County overlaps jail booking records with homelessness data

Boone County is working to reduce recidivism by crossing jail booking records with homelessness data.

“We can see individuals who have been in and out of jail six times in that year and touching the homelessness system many more times,” said Boone County Director of Community Services Kelly Wallis.

The county identified 111 people experiencing homelessness and appearing on Boone County Jail records from April 2018 to April 2019, Wallis said.

She said next the county will determine which people are experiencing the most vulnerable living situations and connect them with supportive housing.

“What it really boils down to is who is at the most risk of dying on the street,” Wallis said.

The Columbia Housing Authority was awarded 14 vouchers that will be used for the project.

“Vouchers that designated to serve persons exiting institutions, at risk of institutionalization, homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless,” said Columbia Housing Authority Director Phil Steinhaus in an email to ABC 17 News.

Boone County has contracted with the Voluntary Action Center to help provide supportive services, such as job skills training, or help people to obtain treatment for substance use disorder.

Wallis said the county will monitor the people who are given the housing vouchers to find if stable housing lessens a person’s rate of incarceration.

“Likely if someone can maintain housing for a year, they will have greater success for longer terms,” she said.

She said she’s hopeful the project will help keep people out of jail.

“Providing an individual with supportive housing reduces recidivism, reduces emergency room visits, and utilization of other resources,” Wallis said. “For a tax-payer perspective, spending less dollars and having a good outcome for individuals is the best case scenario.”

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