Wants jail plan responsive to needs

Now that the 2015 election is over and the jail bill has failed, it is time to think of a future jail plan that is realistic and will better serve our community. Involving the County Council as policy makers in this process seems like a reasonable expectation. Last time I believe they were brought in too late.

I think we all believe a new jail is necessary. To save money a jail that is located downtown, near the courthouse, legal counsel and a proximity for family visits makes sense to me.

It would also be better to focus resources on prevention where possible. Many people currently incarcerated are homeless or mentally ill. It would certainly make sense to provide better preventative mental health and housing services available to prevent those incarcerations. The new jail plan should also provide mental health services that would prevent repeated sentencing. Hopefully the new jail plan will be more responsive to the needs of Whatcom County.

This story was originally published December 8, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Wants jail plan responsive to needs."