Case Study: Local Management Board of Baltimore County achieves a 70% juvenile court appearance rate and reduces delinquency with Bonterra Apricot

Local Management Board of Baltimore County - Customer Case Study

The Baltimore County Local Management Board (LMB), a county government agency that coordinates services for children and families, identified missed court appearances as a major driver of juvenile detention and a contributor to disproportionate minority contact (DMC) in the juvenile justice system. Prior to intervention, only about 30–40% of juveniles were showing up for their hearings, creating strain on the system and prompting the LMB to pilot ways to improve attendance.

The LMB implemented a caller notification program in 2007 and began using Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) software in 2008 to track and analyze results. Notification calls increased court appearance rates to 70% and coincided with a drop in secure detention admissions due to writs-FTA from 23.7% (FY2008) to 12.1% (FY2010). The initiative was validated by a state-funded study as highly impactful for DMC reduction and earned the LMB a 2008 National Association of Counties Achievement Award.