Clark County Proposition No. 12

Committee: Ann Donnelly, Chair

Public safety begins with a justice system that works. Clark County’s jail, the hub of the system, was built 40 plus years ago for a much smaller community. Today, it is overcrowded, outdated and unsafe. It no longer has the capacity to meet the needs of our growing county. Action to address this long-standing need is long overdue. This measure would provide funding to expand capacity and update the Jail and related public safety infrastructure. It will create the space needed now and for the future to safely hold offenders accountable and improve staff safety. It will reduce the need to house inmates in other counties at higher cost. It will add much needed medical and addiction treatment and reentry services that reduce repeat crime and ultimately save money. It would also support improvements to court facilities and a new Sheriff’s Office headquarters displaced by the jail expansion. Voters are concerned about affordability. The 30-year bond structure will reduce today’s costs to about $86/year per median home. Why is this a good investment now? When there is not enough room in the jail, offenders may be released sooner than intended, reducing public confidence in the justice system. A properly sized jail helps ensure that people arrested for crimes can be held while their cases move through the courts, while also providing access to mental health, addiction treatment, and other humane services. Accountability, safer neighborhoods, treatment and ultimately reduced costs are the strongest reasons to approve this investment.