Nationwide, millions of people fail to appear for scheduled court dates despite having intentions to attend. This guide developed by ideas42 draws on more than ten years of research to help policymakers and courts develop effective reminder programs that reduce missed court appearances. The guide covers four main implementation areas: participant enrollment methods, technology infrastructure, message timing and content, and real-world application examples. The authors estimate that each missed court appearance generates approximately $1,496 in government costs related to administrative tasks, warrant processing, and potential incarceration. The authors cite a series of studies and surveys that identify the driving factors for these missed appearances as forgetfulness or difficulty planning ahead, challenges that reminder systems can address. The report notes that across the United States, missed court appearances have become the most common reason for jail bookings, with the first out-of-custody hearing being the most frequently missed hearing, suggesting an intervention point for policymakers.
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Key Findings:
- A court with a reminder program for 10,000 cases per year is estimated to save $1.75 million each year in government costs alone, with a total annual social benefit of $3.3 million and annual cost of $8,000 to $16,000.
- Court reminders reduce nonappearance by 20 to 40 percent. Studies show they are even more effective for people who have previously missed court.
- In Colorado, over 99 percent of messages have been successfully delivered without a request to opt-out. In Santa Clara, California, 96.3 percent of people stayed enrolled in the program after being automatically enrolled.
Recommendations:
Guidelines for Policymakers
- Jurisdictions that do not collect phone numbers in citations will need to revise their citation process. Depending on the jurisdiction, this change may require legislation, approval from the state’s highest court or law enforcement, or state/local rules change.
- For states looking to implement a statewide reminder system without a unified CMS, the Specialty Communications Platform option is particularly useful.
Guidelines for Courts
- Collect contact information early. Phone numbers, and email addresses if possible, should be collected on initial citations or at booking (to ensure reminders can be sent before the first out-of-custody hearing).
- Courts should automatically enroll people into reminder programs and allow them the option to opt-out because requiring people to sign up on their own creates unnecessary hurdles and leads to low participation.
- Keep messages concise to increase readability and lower cost, as more characters can increase cost. Use people’s first name, include the court contact information, and offer access to live human help.