Wayne County has made progress over the past several years in reducing its jail population, and that positive momentum should serve as a catalyst for continued reform. As this report highlights, there are several steps that Wayne County can take to further reduce the jail population and make the criminal justice system more equitable and transparent.

This work is especially important in the context of the construction of the new Wayne County Criminal Justice Center. By implementing changes like the ones recommended here, Wayne County could limit the population enough that it could shrink the currently planned capacity of the jail within the new complex and devote more space to other uses. We hope that this report will serve merely as a first step in continued work by Wayne County to become more intentional about how it uses its jail.