Travis County Commissioners Vote To Delay Jail Expansion Funding

AUSTIN, TX — Travis County commissioners approved a year-long delay in allotting funding for the first phase of a $97 million women's jail expansion — a move hailed as a victory among criminal justice reform advocates who have long opposed increasing the facility's size.

In a 3-1 vote, commissioners voted on the delay saying instead they would focus instead on improving diversion and treatment programs. Commissioner Gerald Daugherty voted no and his counterpart, Margaret Gómez, did not vote. Commissioners voted to remove funding for design and pre-construction of the new women’s jail from certificates of obligation, urging stakeholders to instead present solutions for lowering the local jail population.

“We don’t need another facility,” Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt said. “We need a better facility.”

Holly Kirby, criminal justice programs director at nonprofit Grassroots Leadership, celebrated the move after she and other criminal justice reform advocates testified for an hour prior to the vote.

“The vote today is a huge victory for us," Kirby said. "The commissioners listened to the community and made the right choice. Ultimately, this is about what our community values: health, safety, and equity. The vote today opens the door for us to get to work on downsizing our jail and investing in community alternatives for a safer, healthier and more just Travis County.”

Those against jail expansion urged commissioners to consider instead cheaper and more effective alternatives to enhance public safety in favor of costly construction. Among those testifying to that effect were more than 25 formerly incarcerated women and members of the Decarcerate ATX Coalition.

Kirby noted the commissioners' vote came on the same day when advocates unveiled a report supporting solutions to overcrowding and poor jail conditions in Travis County other than the proposed $97 million construction of a new women’s jail. “A Public Health Approach to Illicit Drug Use in Travis County” released by the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC) explains how the criminal justice system is actually exacerbating the problem of drug use in the County, criminal justice reform advocates said.

"Instead of costly and ineffective criminal justice responses, TCJC recommended investing in the services recommended by community stakeholders and to follow a strategy to divert people from the typical criminal justice process," advocates wrote in a press release.

TCJC also celebrated the development on Facebook: "We won!" officials wrote. "The Travis County Commissioners Court has agreed to pull $97M earmarked for a new women's jail and will instead consider other opportunities to advance the health and safety of our community through diversion and treatment alternatives. Congratulations Grassroots Leadership and all the partners in DecarcerateATX and thank you to our own Doug Smith for his compelling testimony!"

>>> Image via Shutterstock