In this latest edition of Inside Pima County with Supervisor Rex Scott, we’re shining the spotlight on one of the County’s most essential, yet often lesser-known, departments: Justice Services. We’re thrilled to be joined by the Director of Justice Services, Kate Vesely. Born at TMC and raised here, she’s a proud product of local public and private education, now raising her own children in the community her family has called home since the 1800s. With parents who dedicated their careers to public service and education, Kate grew up surrounded by a duty to serve her community. While other kids dreamed of being astronauts, she knew early on she wanted to be a bureaucrat — someone committed to strengthening systems and helping people navigate them. That commitment led her into a 25‑year career in justice system innovation.

Justice Services is a department where the work happening within that team is fast-paced, data‑driven, and deeply impactful. Justice Services itself is a relatively new agency, about five years old, and was originally established to address jail overcrowding. A decade ago, the jail population regularly exceeded 2,300 individuals, presenting major challenges for detainees, staff, healthcare providers, and the broader justice system. Through targeted strategies and partnerships, the department helped drive the jail population down by 500–600 individuals, improving safety and saving millions of taxpayer dollars — all without increasing violent crime. With that success, Justice Services expanded its mission: advancing community safety, reducing unnecessary incarceration, supporting recovery, and improving outcomes for individuals and families involved in the justice system.

One of the most visible and transformative elements of this work is the Transition Center: the “crown jewel” of Justice Services. It grew due to community feedback and from a simple but powerful question: if individuals with non‑violent misdemeanors aren’t entering custody, how do we ensure they still receive support? Open seven days a week, the Transition Center has become a trusted, walk‑in hub for people seeking help, guidance, and connection to services. Staffed entirely by justice navigators with lived experience, it offers stigma‑free support, immediate trust, and a path forward for individuals and families facing some of the hardest moments of their lives.