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NO GIANT JAIL

Montgomery County Jail Coalition formed in early 2020 to educate the public on the process underway to plan for the future of the county jail and advocate for humane and sensible alternatives to incarceration. In order to seize on this once-in-a-generation opportunity, we must make positive changes to our local legal system to reduce the jail population and ensure the county commissioners don’t build a giant jail in downtown Dayton.

But we must insist on a bold vision for community safety...

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Reform

Cities and counties across the country are reducing their jail populations by shifting protocols on who gets held in jail and why, primarily by restricting the use of incarceration only to serious charges.

End Cash Bail

Pretrial detention discriminates against the poor and communities of color.

  • 75% of detainees in county jails are awaiting trial but have not been convicted.1
  • The average person who cannot afford bail earns $13,500 annually.2
  • 75% of those held pretrial are accused of misdemeanors and non-person felonies, like marijuana possession, traffic violations, and disorderly conduct.3

Eliminating cash bail can reduce the jail population by 45% and save the County about $7 million annually.4

Cite and Release

Instead of an arrest for low-level charges, officers may issue a ticket that releases the person to appear in court at a later date or pay a fine. 

  • The longer someone is detained, the more likely they are to commit future crimes.5
  • Only 11% of agencies require officers to use this procedure for eligible charges.6
  • 66% of officers share a positive view of this option, which is proven to save time and taxpayer money.7
Requiring the use of cite and release can reduce the jail population by up to 25%.8

 

Diversion

Rather than sending people to jail as punishment, diversion programs focus on providing treatment to individuals in need of support, in order to improve their personal health and the well-being of their families.

Mental Health

Locking up people with mental health issues worsens their conditions and traps them in the system. 

  • 44% of the local jail population has a diagnosed mental illness.9
  • 60% of detainees with serious and persistent mental health disorders would be eligible for diversion.10
  • Diversion programs lower re-arrest rates and increase the likelihood of future housing and employment.11
Community-based mental health services can reduce the jail population by nearly 10%.

Substance Use

Individuals with substance use disorders should not have to go to jail to get help.

  • Of the 68% in jail with a substance use disorder,12 only 25% receive treatment while inside.13
  • 50% of those with both mental health and substance use disorders have had contact with the legal system.14
  • Treatment programs lower recidivism rates.15

Pre-arrest programs can offer long-term reduction in the jail population and support recovery.

 

Solutions

If we implement smart solutions, we can end mass incarceration in Montgomery County. We must no longer rely on jails to address the challenges we face: it is inhumane and ineffective. We must treat illness, rather than punish people for being sick. We must upset a status quo that criminalizes the poor and tears apart Black and Brown families.

For these reasons and others, we say, NO GIANT JAIL!

 
 
 

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GET INVOLVED

We need your help to build and sustain the movement to end mass incarceration in Montgomery County! Sign-up below and indicate how you want to contribute.