Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Meeting | August 7, 2026

Meeting Overview The Buncombe County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) convened on August 7, 2026, chaired by Martin. The meeting opened with the approval of the previous meeting’s minutes and the current agenda. The Council formally welcomed two new members: Kim Plemons, Vice Chair of the Buncombe County Board of Education, and Ella Santos, President and CEO of the Asheville Housing Authority. The session focused on updates regarding community safety, jail population trends, and various justice system initiatives, with significant discussion centered on execution strategies and data metrics.

Key Decisions and Votes The Council took several formal actions during the meeting. By voice vote, members approved the minutes from the previous session and accepted the agenda as written. The Council voted to formally appoint Rita as the member representing domestic violence and assault cases, as well as her appointment as Chair of the Coordinated Community Response (CCR). Additionally, the Council voted to appoint Councilman Holman as the Vice Chair of the CJCC; this appointment followed Judge Keppel’s declination of the role due to workload concerns, after which Councilman Holman nominated himself and was approved by the body.

Discussion Highlights A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing operational plans and data. Regina provided an update on the Community Violence Prevention initiative, noting that over 57 community health workers have been trained and that recent state grants have secured funding for staffing. However, Chair Martin and Judge Keppel raised concerns that the plan lacked a clear executing body or leader. Chair Martin emphasized the need for a tangible action plan rather than just data, directing staff to determine specific responsibilities and costs for execution.

Dr. Lee Creighton presented a jail population report indicating that Buncombe County Jail is operating beyond its design capacity of 524, currently holding 554 individuals. This 13% year-over-year increase is attributed to "Irene’s Law," increased lengths of stay, and a backlog of individuals awaiting transport to state facilities. Despite these overcrowding issues, Dr. Creighton highlighted the success of the NC FIT program, which connects formerly incarcerated individuals with healthcare services, resulting in a 16% two-year recidivism rate.

Other reports covered the Clerk of Court’s strategic goals, including a proposed Wellness Court for vulnerable misdemeanor offenders and a revamp of first appearances in district court scheduled for August 21. The Coordinated Community Response (CCR) reported on its workgroups, specifically noting a lack of nonprofit providers for sexual violence offenders. Meanwhile, the Behavioral Health Justice Collaborative (BHJC) discussed the need to move beyond "law enforcement drop-offs" as a success metric, arguing it may create perverse incentives. Sean Aardema of the Asheville Police Department affirmed support for Judge Keppel’s Wellness Court efforts, noting that a small number of offenders drive disproportionate misdemeanor crime.

Community Input The Chair opened the public comment period, but no members of the public spoke during this segment. Internal commentary from Council members was extensive, particularly regarding the execution of the Violence Prevention Plan and the metrics used by the Behavioral Health program. Council members questioned whether current metrics accurately reflected prevention efforts and stressed the importance of clear leadership for ongoing initiatives.

Follow-ups and Next Steps Several action items were established for future consideration. Staff, led by Regina, will follow up via email and on a future agenda to determine specific leadership, responsibilities, and costs for the Community Violence Prevention Plan. Judge Keppel will continue developing a rough draft for the Wellness Court, consulting with the District Attorney, Public Defender, and community resources. The Courts Group is scheduled to hold a dedicated meeting on August 21 to discuss revamping first appearances in district court. Additionally, Speaker 4 requested corrections to the CJCC bylaws, and Chair Martin agreed to add these revisions to the next agenda for review. The BHJC will continue analyzing data and conducting listening sessions with law enforcement to determine appropriate success metrics.

Impact on Residents These discussions highlight the Council’s focus on shifting from data collection to actionable execution in community safety and justice reform. By addressing jail overcrowding drivers and exploring diversion programs like the Wellness Court, the Council is examining ways to reduce recidivism and improve public safety outcomes. The appointment of new leadership roles and the review of bylaws suggest an effort to streamline governance and ensure clear accountability for violence prevention and domestic violence response efforts. The emphasis on accurate metrics for behavioral health interventions aims to ensure that resources effectively address community needs rather than creating unintended negative incentives.