The Marysville Jail is a revolving door for some people.

Not only do they fill up the jail – necessitating the city’s desire for a new Public Safety Building – but they also fill up the public defender’s office and the court systems.

For a few years now Marysville Police Chief Rick Smith has wanted to start a diversion program so low-level drug offenders could be helped by social service organizations instead of going to jail. Being locked up doesn’t help those folks, but social services can.

Smith has looked into various alternatives. He might want to try a variation of what is being looked into next door in Arlington.

City officials there are exploring a diversion program that would help low-level offenders. Called Community Court, the program is aimed at repeat offenders charged with crimes such as trespassing, loitering, drug paraphernalia and petty theft. Those crimes are most-often linked with homelessness.

Instead of punishment, the court would provide offenders with access to social services that would help them get their lives back on track.

Arlington Police Chief Jonathan Ventura and a team of legal and social service experts recently toured Spokane’s Community Court. In speaking with the judge, prosecutors, defense attorneys and others, they said the program has been effective in addressing homelessness while reducing jail costs.

Ventura is sold on the concept. Defendants can gain access to services ranging from housing and treatment for drug addition, to the simple but necessary items like bus passes and personal identification.

A Stipulated Order of Continuance would be drawn up between the parties for up to 90 days indicating that if the defendant completes a series of conditions the case would be dismissed. Community service is an important part of that because it gives the offender a bond with the community.

If a defendant sticks to the agreement – committing no new crimes, using recommended services, showing up for progress updates and doing community service, the case would be dismissed.

Spokane has a 68 percent dismissal rate among those who completed their court agreement.

Ventura said Arlington has 400 active arrest warrants. Most of those warrants are for low-level offenses. Community Court could get those offenders out of the cycle.

Jail costs can be as much as $200 a day in the Marysville and Snohomish County jails that Arlington uses.

Still early in the process, Community Court would not likely get under way until at least next summer.

That should give Marysville plenty of time to join in.