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Revisit jail plans

The Spokesman-Review

Commissioner Bonnie Mager made a motion at the Spokane County commissioners’ June 8 meeting to table the decision on siting a new jail. Commissioner Mager made this motion because the jail population has dropped dramatically in 2010, resulting in layoffs of 69 county employees.

As Commissioner Mager pointed out, due to the economy and the drop in jail population, it is time to fund the programs recommended by the county’s jail consultant, Mr. Bennett, and re-assess the need for a new jail a year from now. Yet Commissioners Richard and Mielke insisted on going ahead with the new jail with 1,300 additional beds. Is this the best use of our tax dollars in this economy?

Let’s look at alternatives to building a new jail. Some proven alternatives to jail include mental health treatment outside the jail, expanding drug courts, drug and alcohol treatment and home monitoring.

Laura Buys

Spokane Valley

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