Keep the promise of a community-health-driven justice system

In 2023, our community sent a clear message: we need a justice system that prioritizes community health. By voting to fund a modernized facility alongside behavioral health and supportive housing, residents issued a definitive mandate for alternatives to incarceration, robust diversion, and absolute accountability. We didn’t just vote for a building—we voted for a path that supports our community and offers true public safety.

Shrinking tax revenues have put our vision and the County’s promises at risk. The County’s upcoming decision on jail size and design is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will set the stage. If we over-invest in bricks and mortar now, we lose the critical funding needed for alternatives to incarceration and the services that keep our neighbors safe and supported.

It’s now time to ensure those promises are kept. Use this resource to advocate for the justice system you were promised with your tax dollars.

Step 1: Contact your councilmembers

Councilmembers control budget and policy decisions. They need to hear from you to understand the community’s priorities.

Action: Send a personalized email or call their office using our sample script found below Step 4.

Find your representatives: Use the Council District Map and this Councilmember Information page to identify your three representatives (one District and two At-Large).

Step 2: Attend public meetings

Decisions happen in real-time during council meetings, and discussions occur in other public meetings. Showing up to these meetings promotes transparency and accountability.

Actions: Speak up during Open Session at Council meetings and listen in on Justice Project meeting discussions.

Meetings to attend (in person or online):

Step 3: Read Riveters newsletters

Advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint! For the past five years, our Justice System Committee (JSC) has campaigned for improvements to our justice system, especially when it comes to data collection, transparency, and accountability.

Action: Sign up for Riveters Collective newsletters for fact-based updates and calls to action.

Get caught up: Read past JSC posts and Riveters newsletters.

Step 4: Educate yourself

Locally, we bring your attention to several core documents that outline expectations for an improved justice system.

Jail sales tax Ordinance 2023-03
Interlocal Agreement – governs operational commitments with the cities.
Needs Assessment – jail facility size informed by system reform, service capacity, and fiscal sustainability.
Implementation Plan – roadmap for 15 projects that improve services and facilities.
Jail Scenario Plan
June 2025 Financial Report
2025 Jail Use Report – shows daily average jail populations.

Nationally, we’ve leaned on specialized research from non-profit, non-partisan sources, such as the Prison Policy Institute, to strengthen our arguments for reducing incarceration.

Sample script:

We recommend using your own words and experiences, but if you get stuck, we offer this script based on County Council’s 2019 Resolution 2019-036, which renewed its commitment to public safety, justice, fiscal responsibility, harm reduction, healing, and prevention as public priorities. Keep your email brief by selecting the principles that speak to you most, instead of including all 14. Selecting your highest priorities will more intentionally tell County Council how to prioritize funding resources.

Dear Councilmembers,

As the County decides on the jail’s design, I’m asking you to stick to the following guiding principles Council established in Resolution 2019-036. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to scale this and keep community health at the center of the plan:

Incarceration as a last resort: create a system that uses jail only when necessary for public safety, focusing on reducing the overall jail population through effective alternatives.
Ensure fair treatment: remember everyone deserves a system that is equitable, unbiased, and protects the civil rights of all people, regardless of their background.
Promote rehabilitation: advocate for a system focused on transformation and healing, ensuring that incarcerated individuals have access to the programs they need to change and improve their lives.
Use data to drive decisions: use consistent data and evidence to design and size our jail and facilities, evaluate how our system is working, and help determine what programs and systems work best.
Ensure speedy resolutions: develop a more efficient legal process that resolves cases quickly to reduce the time people spend waiting in jail before trial.
Address racial disparities: actively identify and eliminate racial and ethnic inequities at every level of the criminal legal system.
Listen to lived experiences: shape policies based on the voices of those most impacted by the system—including victims and formerly incarcerated people.
Foster transparency: clearly and openly communicate information about how our justice system operates and how decisions are made.
Coordinate services: improve collaboration between law enforcement, healthcare providers, and community organizations is needed to provide seamless care and support.
Expand diversion programs: create more paths for low-risk individuals and those with behavioral health needs to get treatment and support instead of going to jail.
Support successful re-entry: provide robust resources and planning for individuals returning to the community to ensure they have the stability needed to stay out of jail.
Maintain safe facilities: ensure facilities are safe, humane, and modern to protect the dignity and health of both the people living there and the staff working there.
Commit to continuous improvement: regularly review progress and change strategies to meet the evolving needs of our community.

I urge you to prioritize these promises as you make decisions related to the jail and community health services.

Thank you for considering my input.

Sincerely,

[name]

[city of residence]