Summary
On June 15th, the Travis County Commissioners Court will decide whether or not to build a new $79 million women's jail.
Action Box
Have thoughts on what the Travis County Commissioners Court should do? Send an email to Commissioners-Court@traviscountytx.gov.
On June 15th, our local leaders have a big decision to make – whether or not Travis County should move forward with building a new $79m women’s jail. The proposal has generated a lot of controversy. The Travis County jail population is 34% Black, despite the fact that only 9% of the county’s population is Black. Add on to that the fact that the jail population has been decreasing steadily, & many are left wondering why a new jail is needed in the first place.
Check out our latest guide to learn more about the proposal & what community leaders are saying about it.
PS – At the meeting on June 15th, Travis County Judge Andy Brown & Commissioner Ann Howard are expected to present a resolution to call for county staff to develop a new strategic plan on the county’s criminal justice complex, convene a working group to reduce the number of women in the jail, and give recommendations and options on how to provide better physical, mental, and behavioral health care inside and outside of the jail.
PPS – Want to learn more? Check out these links:
You can read through Grassroots Leadership’s petition against the new jail here.
You can watch a press conference from Grassroots Leadership & the Austin Justice Coalition against the new jail here.
You can read a letter signed by 95 civil rights groups and community leaders, in opposition to the new jail, here.
You can look through a presentation from Travis County staff about the new women’s jail here.
