Johnson County supervisors seek public input on jail alternatives

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will take public input at a meeting Wednesday on programs that provide alternatives to sending people to jail.

A county committee has developed a document called “Jail Alternatives: Prevention, Diversion, Expediting, and Recidivism Reduction Efforts” that identifies current programs for keeping people out of jail, including drug court, the marijuana diversion program, work release, programs for those with mental health or substance abuse issues, and others, according to a news release.

It also identifies strategies that could be implemented with more funding and recommendations for addressing disproportionate minority contact in the criminal justice system, according to the release.

Those are all issues that have been mentioned by opponents of the county's plan for a $46.2 million criminal justice center project. A May 7 special election is scheduled for a $43.5 million bond issue to pay for the center.

Wednesday's meeting is at 5:30 p.m. at the Johnson County Courthouse, 417 S. Clinton St., Iowa City.