2025 CCE Highlights

CCE is leading a sign-on letter to protect D.C. Courts' funding. For the last four fiscal years, the Courts have managed to maintain core operations with roughly level funding. But now, as the number of criminal prosecutions and civil matters rise, the D.C. Courts are under severe strain to meet the needs of District residents and visitors. Between 2023-25, new civil and domestic relations cases have increased 33%; criminal cases have increased 160%. These increases must be accompanied by budget increases or litigants and the public will suffer.

CCE - along with the ACLU of the District of Columbia, the Georgetown Law Center for Innovations in Community Safety, and DC Justice Lab - sent a letter to the D.C. Council in response to the recommendations of the District's Pre-Arrest Diversion (PAD) Task Force. Our letter complements their efforts and shares concerns that the proposed pilot program is too restrictive and misses an opportunity to create a robust alternative to arrest for people experiencing behavioral health and substance use challenges.

CCE's analysis of July 2026 data shows that the D.C. jail population is over 18% higher than a year ago and has grown by nearly 1,000 people compared to summer 2023. A growing population, driven by longer case processing times, increased prosecutions, and a growing court backlog, increases costs, strains staff, and compromises safety at the jail.