Use relief funding to tame recidivism

Washington County residents have watched the last three years as county leadership has made attempt after attempt to fund a jail expansion. Those of us who provided community support during the pandemic saw the great need and had hoped the county would use federal pandemic funds for relief. We certainly never thought the county would use it to expand incarceration.

However, having listened to county leaders’ concerns about the jail, I see that many of them truly believe that not only can they repurpose relief funds to imprison more people, they even believe they have a responsibility to do so.

So here we are: County leaders have taken steps to launder the money out of a specified federal covid-19 relief funding into a transfer fund and then into a jail expansion fund and are ready to spend $20 million in federal relief money on a jail expansion.

This is what I would like to ask, hoping they’ll hear me: Let’s spend those $20 million on an expansion that actually meets the needs of our communities and reduces incarceration and recidivism.

Start by taking the advice from county’s own jail study.

Then, my recommendations for expansions that would make the county jail more humane include: (1) a much expanded crisis stabilization unit; (2) space for in person visitation rather than via video; (3) a resource area for groups and community programs that provide the kinds of activities to prepare inmates for a return to community; and (4) expanded resources for pre-trial detainees that provide alternatives to detention.

I have asked for years now for our county to consult with Capt. Belinda Cosgrove of the Garland County jail. Capt. Cosgrove worked diligently over the last few years to develop programs in her jail. She cut recidivism rates in half by recruiting community members to come into the jail and provide life-changing programs.

We are a resource-rich community. If we have to misappropriate funds from community relief for a jail expansion, maybe we can still use the funds for relief by helping our community spend more time WITH those incarcerated for treatment, development and prevention.

THE REV. CLINT SCHNEKLOTH

Fayetteville