"Programs" to reduce jail population

Sheriff Tom Knight told Sarasota County commissioners that the county has two options:

• Reduce the jail population or
• Build and pay for a new jail, a daunting and controversial undertaking that would take years and upwards of $80 million.

Knight said he wants to avoid a new jail and wants to focus on:

• work offender programs
• re-entry programs
• homeless outreach programs
• specialty courts

Knight said those programs are less expensive than borrowing money to build a new jail. “I believe it’s cheaper than building cells.”

Corrections Maj. Jeff Bell said, “Arrest rates are declining.”

Commissioners agreed they want programs.