Paying For Punishment

Sat., May 13, 2000

Ken Sands, Interactive Editor

Everyone wants to lock up the bad guys, but nobody wants to pay to do it. It’s a problem everywhere, but especially in growing communities with overcrowded jails. In Kootenai County, a vote on a jail funding plan on May 23 will determine what happens next.

It’s the goal of Handle Extra, a newspaper section devoted to the principals of “civic journalism,” to inspire greater citizen participation in addressing such community problems.

That’s why we’ve devoted a significant amount of space in this edition to the jail funding plan. You’ll hear from Glen Walker and Ron Rankin, who disagree on the need for an expanded jail. Deputy Robert Forsyth writes about what it’s like to work in the existing jail. You’ll see the names and faces of everyone booked into jail on a typical day. We also plan to publish letters to the editor before the vote.

The success of civic journalism depends on this kind of interaction between readers and editors. We’d like to hear from you on the jail issue, or any other matter of concern in Kootenai County. You can contact us by e-mail at kens@spokesman.com, or by fax at 765-7149, or by mail at 608 Northwest Blvd. Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.

Please keep in touch.

1. Jail fees 2. 24 hours of bookings at Kootenai County Jail 3. County jail deputy’s job repetitious, never routine

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