The Community First Pretrial Reform Act establishes a federal grant program administered by the Department of Justice to help local communities reduce jail incarceration. The bill provides two types of grants: planning grants (up to $100,000 for one year) to analyze local jail data and develop reduction strategies, and implementation grants ($500,000 to $3 million annually over six years) to fund specific activities like reducing cash bail, expanding pretrial services, increasing access to legal counsel, and creating diversion programs. Eligible partnerships must include at least two entities from local governments, nonprofits, or Indian tribes and must meet strict performance requirements, including reducing jail incarceration by at least 5 percent in year one, 10 percent annually thereafter, and 50 percent by the grant's end, or face audits and potential termination. The bill authorizes $20 million annually for planning grants and $100 million annually for implementation grants from 2026 through 2030, with priority given to jurisdictions with the highest incarceration rates and preference for smaller metropolitan and rural areas.
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