This promises to be an excellent and informative program that analyzes critical issues that face us as we contemplate voting on a proposed new Whatcom County jail this November. Joining us on the panel are:
- Mark Cooke – from the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington who will share information from the ACLU’s Smart Justice/Fair Justice campaign to end mass incarceration including programs on what alternatives have worked in the rest of the country
- Anne Deacon — Human Services Manager of Whatcom County Health Department will speak on the points of intercept we have in Whatcom County to keep various populations especially the mentally ill out of our jails, as well interventions in jail and among those released to keep them from returning to jail.
- Tim Douglas — The former Mayor of Bellingham will discuss financing options for the proposed jail and the resulting effects on city and county budgets and on-going criminal justice costs.