Monroe County leaders want community input on how to reform the local criminal justice system as they struggle with an increasing jail population.
The county’s jail was built in the 1980’s and often exceeds its maximum capacity of 284 inmates. County officials say they want to reform the justice system rather than just building a new, bigger jail.
Residents got a chance to weigh in during the latest in a series of community conversations at Unionville Elementary School Monday night. They talked about how flaws in the justice system affect important social issues including addiction, poverty and employment.
Monroe County Resident Marty Mann says his son has been in and out of the system for years and struggles with substance abuse. He says the lack of emphasis on rehabilitation for prisoners needs to be addressed.
“And so we need to go back to the drawing board in my opinion and realize that addiction is a health issue and treat it as such,” he says.
Many residents called attention to patterns in the county’s system, including jail overcrowding, racial disparities and the poor treatment of inmates.
Kathleen Sideli is the President of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission. She says these community conversations help county officials outline new approaches to criminal justice reform that reflect the values of local residents.
“We’ll be kind of focusing and making some professional recommendations that the council, the commissioners and other individuals will take under consideration moving forward,” she says.
A fourth community conversation is planned for June 29 at the Ellettsville Fire Department.
County leaders say they will review all of the feedback before moving ahead with any plans for changes.
