Monday, August 14, 6:30 PM, Westwood First Presbyterian Church, 3011 Harrison Ave. (this is where we hold our Concern meetings).  We wish to thank everyone who took on the work to address the reality of the criminal problems we face. Whether their plan is used or not, City Council members lead by Leslie Ghiz out of respect for the city worked very hard to find a real and immediate solution to the city’s crime problem. That distinguishes this council from those in the past and is commendable.

Why is it important for the Westside to turn out Monday? Last week’s August 7 jail meeting in Sycamore was packed with social service proponents demanding no jail but money go for MORE “programs”, creation of employment (by continuing to support the excuses that justify crime or not holding people accountable while ignoring working to improve actual conditions and standards that create jobs in a democratic system -private enterprise to willingly and freely invest), handicap accessibility, hunger, root causes, everything but addressing the fact that criminals both high and low have been given a free pass to intimidate, extort, and kill the opportunities and freedom that the average responsible person works for and deserves. 

There have never been more social programs supported by government to correct personal mistakes using investment of taxpayer’s dollars bringing so much diminishing return. We are almost bankrupt socially, morally and financially it is about time to demand improvement through personal responsibility.

What does our emphasize and focus on a new jail do? It sends the message that we as a city learned from our experience and have finally grown up to respect and insist on recognizing the boundaries of decent civilized behavior so we might all move forward. 

Government is doing its job if we can live safe without fear within our homes, upon our streets, operate businesses, attend classes, get to and from work or school, have basic city services, raise our families or grow old without the possibility or experience of murder, rape, robbery,assault or in today’s world getting blown up or our heads cut off.

Law Enforcement Leaders Endorse Sheriff’s Jail Plan Reject Tent Proposal as Unworkable

A criminal justice task force, led by prosecutor Joe Deters, agreed with the conclusions of the Voorhis study, which called for a new, permanent, 1800-bed jail in Hamilton County.

Last week, a committee of law enforcement leaders appointed by Prosecutor Joe Deters endorsed the recommendation of the county’s corrections expert, Voorhis Associates, to build a permanent 1800-bed jail.  The Law Enforcement Committee for Corrections Solutions, consisting of Deters, Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis, Cincinnati Police Chief Thomas Streicher, and Judges Steve Martin, Julia Stautberg, and Karla Grady endorsed the proposed facility that Sheriff Leis and Commissioner Phil Heimlich are seeking to build through a quarter cent sales tax increase. 

The committee also rejected a proposal by city council members to use tents or bubbles as a temporary jail.  They concluded that “the cost of running such a facility is too high and cannot be justified.” They cited a report by the county’s jail expert who “seriously questions the feasibility of the tent - city concept.” Deters’ group recommended that city council use any available funds to aid the county in sending additional overflow prisoners to Butler County. 

For an overview of the Voorhis Associates jail study, click HERE.

To view the report from the Prosecutor’s Task Force, click HERE.

Cincinnati Enquirer: Prosecutor Objects to Jail Proposal

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Butler County Agrees to House 200 Additional Prisoners

Plan will save Hamilton County an additional $10 per prisoner

Up to 400 prisoners per night may be housed in the Butler County jail during construction of a new jail in Hamilton County.

Last week, county officials reached an agreement to house 200 additional prisoners in Butler County. Hamilton County had been sending up to 200 prisoners per night to Butler under a program announced last spring by Commissioners Phil Heimlich and Pat Dewine. Since April, 185 inmates on average per night have been housed in Butler County at a daily cost of $65 per prisoner. Under the new agreement, Butler County will charge $55 per inmate per day (if Hamilton County commits to a minimum 300 prisoners per day), the same amount it costs to house a prisoner in the Hamilton County Justice Center.

“According to our expert’s projections, this proposed agreement with Butler County provides the total number of cells needed to house overflow prisoners while the new jail is being constructed,” said Commissioner Heimlich.

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Second Public Hearing Set Monday Night In Westwood

All law enforcement supporters are encouraged to attend and speak

The second public hearing on the proposal to build a new jail will be held next Monday, August 14th, at 6:30pm, at Westwood First Presyterian Church, 3011 Harrision Ave.