Jackson County Correctional Facility Project
Jackson County Correctional Facility Project
Jackson County By the Numbers: * The yearly cost of crime for Jackson County in 2023 ($2,231 per household) was calculated using three sources: 1. The research paper: “Incidence and Costs of Personal and Property Crimes in the United States, 2017” updated in October 2020 can be found HERE. 2. United States Census data for Jackson County (2023 total population estimation: 220,768; total household estimation: 90,679; Approx. 2.41 persons per household). Read more HERE. 3. Oregon State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Data for all Jackson County agencies in 2023 can be found HERE. Jackson County Sheriff's Office staff are exploring ways to help alleviate problems in the local criminal justice system caused by an undersized and outdated jail. The goal of this website is to help educate citizens about the problem so we can work toward an effective solution. The current jail was built in 1981, when Jackson County's population was 134,546, and was designed to hold 176 Adults in Custody (AICs). In 1985, AICs sued Jackson
County for overcrowded conditions; the settlement led to clear restrictions on the ability to house additional AICs within the current facility. In 2017, the jail handled approximately 14,000 lodgings. Due to capacity restrictions, about half were released before they could appear in court or pay bail. Upon release, many offenders go on to commit additional crimes, to be lodged in jail, and to be released again. This "revolving door" affects livability in the community and creates a strain on local resources. In 2018, Jackson County's population reached 215,000 and continues to grow. Modifications to the jail now allow a total capacity of 300 AICs (315 overnight) - a capacity that is still inadequate to address the needs of the community. In 2019, Jackson County completed the purchase of a parcel of land in North Medford upon which to build a proposed new jail. Efforts are currently under way to introduce a plan to voters to approve a service district to support future jail operations. Sheriff Sickler is available to present information about the jail project to local groups and organizations. Please call (541) 770-8923 to make a request. n
15
January 2025 | The Business Review
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online