Allen County officials and community leaders today released the Restore Allen Recommendation Report outlining 17 community-informed recommendations.
News release from the Allen County Board of Commissioners:
Allen County Releases Restore Allen Report with Community Recommendations to Strengthen Justice Ecosystem
Allen County, Indiana (March 25, 2026) – Allen County officials and community leaders today released the Restore Allen Recommendation Report outlining 17 community-informed recommendations. The report follows a year-long collaborative initiative examining how the Allen County Criminal Justice System and the broader justice ecosystem interact, identifying areas where stronger coordination could better support individuals and families involved in the system and strengthen outcomes for the broader community.
Shortly before Allen County Commissioner Ron Turpin became Commissioner, he asked his colleagues at Ambassador Enterprise a question, “What would it look like if we could reduce the number of inmates in our jail and overall criminal justice system?” Out of that question came Ambassador’s commitment to providing funding for launching Restore Allen, a discovery effort bringing together 55 participants from law enforcement, the courts, corrections, behavioral health providers, schools, nonprofits, and other community organizations. Over many months, a Discovery Team worked across five focus areas—employment, housing and homelessness, mental health, substance use, and youth—to examine how people move through the justice ecosystem and identify opportunities for stronger alignment across organizations.
The report presents 17 recommendations organized across four areas: Prevention, Justice, Restoration, and System Support. The recommendations highlight opportunities for stronger coordination across the justice ecosystem, expanded prevention and diversion pathways, stronger support during incarceration, and clearer transitions for individuals returning to the community.
“Restore Allen began with a simple question about what kind of community we want Allen County to be,” said Allen County Commissioner Ron Turpin. “Over the past several months, leaders from across our governmental and community organizations came together to better understand how people experience the justice system and where stronger coordination could make a difference going forward.”
Allen County Sheriff Troy Hershberger, a member of the Restore Allen Strategic Advisory Team, said the collaborative nature of the process was a key part of the effort.
“Law enforcement sees many of these challenges firsthand,” Hershberger said. “Being part of a process that brought together courts, service providers, and community organizations allowed us to step back and look at the full picture of how people move through the system.”
Nicki Venable, Director of Legal Operations at Ambassador Enterprises, said it helped catalyze the convening to bring leaders together around complex challenges affecting individuals and families involved in the justice system. “As Allen County began discussing significant investments in justice system infrastructure, we felt called to step back and look at the broader system together”.
Community leaders emphasized that the report is intended as a starting point for continued collaboration across Allen County. It outlines opportunities for agencies, service providers, funders, businesses, and community organizations to align efforts to strengthen prevention, accountability, and successful reintegration. As Commissioner Turpin outlined in the press conference, “We have tremendous resources in Allen County, today we start the process of mobilizing those resources and coordinating our efforts to address the needs of our community. We look forward to engaging the wider community in the weeks and months to come for a more vibrant, prosperous future for all of our residents.”
The full Restore Allen Recommendation Report is available at RestoreAllen.com.
The Restore Allen Strategic Advisory Team includes Allen County Commissioner Ron Turpin, Executive Director Allen County Community Corrections Kim Churchward, Dr. William Curry of The Chaplaincy, Sheriff Troy Hershberger, Allen County Prosecutor Michael McAlexnder, Allen Superior Court Judge David Zent, and Angie Moellering, President & CEO of Lutheran Social Services.
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