Criminal Justice Reform

Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Reform Survey

Thank you for letting your voice be heard! As your County Council member, it is an honor and a privilege to represent you. I am very interested in your thoughts on our criminal justice issues. Please read the blog post at slcocouncil.com before taking this survey so you can get the background info on this issue. Thanks for being involved!

Question Title

* 1. How should the Salt Lake County Council handle increasing criminal justice needs?

1. Continue to lock these people up by building more jail beds. (Most expensive for taxpayers.)

2. Keep things as they are now - allow those 600+ people per month to walk. (Least expensive, but may have a higher financial and societal cost down the road.)

3. Invest in mental health and substance abuse programs so we can separate those real criminals from those with other issues.

Question Title

* 2. How should Salt Lake County pay for criminal justice reform?

1. Work to cut other areas of the county budget, and extend the tax from the jail bond. Then figure out best use of that $9.4 million to go towards criminal justice reform. (There would be no tax increase or tax reduction if this happens.)

2. Work to cut other areas of the county budget, don't extend jail bond, then figure out true cost of new programs/facilities and increase property taxes in 2016. (Reduction of $18 per year for avg household this year, then ?? increase on 2016 property taxes.)

3. Don't spend anything in the next two years. Then do another jail bond to build more beds, even though it will most likely be the most expensive option in the long run.