Media Contact: Jazmyn Strode, jstrode@vera.org

Vera Institute of Justice to Highlight the Cost of Jails in Kentucky for the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary

WHAT: On Thursday, July 8, experts from the Vera Institute of Justice will offer an analysis of the cost of jails in Kentucky for state legislators who are looking to take action on this urgent and costly issue in the upcoming legislative session.

In fiscal year 2019, counties across Kentucky spent a total of $402.4 million on the state’s 79 jails. From 2007 to 2019, Kentucky’s jail incarceration rate increased 465 percent. Over time, local governments in Kentucky have invested more and more in jails as incarceration has continued to rise: from 2007 to 2019, jail spending per resident increased 44 percent.

Tune in for a presentation of research on these exorbitant jail costs in Kentucky, a preview of fiscal year 2020 data, which offers a glimpse into how jail spending changed during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and an overview of opportunities for cost savings from justice reform.

WHEN: Thursday, July 8th at 11:00AM

WHERE: Access the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary Livestream here to tune in

WHO:

• Jasmine Heiss, Director, In Our Backyards Initiative, Vera Institute of Justice
• Chris Mai, Senior Research Associate, Vera Institute of Justice
• Bea Halbach-Singh, Research Associate, Vera Institute of Justice