photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured on Sept. 4, 2024.

The Douglas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council is seeking the community’s input on how to improve the criminal legal system.

A survey will be open until 5 p.m. on Nov. 4. By providing input, residents can help ensure that the CJCC’s strategic plan focuses on areas that matter most to the community. All individual responses will remain confidential and will only be shared in aggregate form, according to a news release from the county.

The survey is being conducted in partnership with The Justice Management Institute, or JMI, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing justice systems through research, education and technical assistance. JMI has been supporting the CJCC through a strategic planning process that began in January.

The mission of the Douglas County CJCC is to be an advisory board that provides an open, transparent and collaborative forum for justice system partners, stakeholders and community members who come together to share information, problem-solve and make evidence-informed recommendations to improve the criminal legal system.

“We strive for a just and equitable experience for all, balancing the criminal justice footprint with public safety expectations in Douglas County,” Criminal Justice Coordinator Katy Fitzgerald said in the release.

During the past 18 months, the CJCC underwent an extensive assessment process and revised its bylaws to come into greater alignment with national standards for CJCCs. This fall, the CJCC is continuing that path and developing a comprehensive strategic plan to guide its core efforts for fiscal year 2025-2027.

“CJCC recently conducted focus groups to gather input for the strategic plan, and now we’re seeking input from the broader public,” Fitzgerald said. “We encourage residents to take the survey and provide feedback because it will help guide the work of the CJCC.”

To participate in the survey, visit: www.surveymonkey.com/r/DouglasCountyCJ. For more information about CJCC, visit: dgcoks.gov/cjcc.