My local leadership is considering scrapping a $390 million jail construction project after seeing that a decreased jail population - down 1/3 since covid - has led to no spike in crime. This is what I like to see.
https://twitter.com/robertsalonga/status/1318720731245498374
“If this unintentional pilot program is working, I question whether we need to build a new jail altogether,” Cortese said. That’s @DaveCortese, my local county supervisor. Thank you.
“We know community care is the best model for these patients,” @SupEllenberg said. “We could make a facility light and bright and more therapeutic, but ultimately, it’s still a jail, and we know the jail is not an appropriate environment for rehabilitation.” Again, thank you.
It’s not very often that we hear hypothetically incarcerated people referred to as “patients” - quite a shift in language - I greatly appreciate this perspective from @SupEllenberg.
As someone who has spent somewhere in the realm of 2 years in Santa Clara County’s jails, both downtown & in Milpitas, I know what these places are like on the inside. There are better venues for rehabilitation and reintegration.
And @DaveCortese pushing to assess if it makes more sense to “[invest] directly in mental-health and other supportive services and facilities, including a prospective treatment center run by health officials rather than law enforcement.” That last part is key.
Jails are like closet space - when we have it, we tend to fill it. Building more jails will invariably lead to more folks getting locked up.
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