[Source: “If you haven’t done so already, go vote today,” Press Citizen, 7 May 2013, by the Press Citizen Editorial Board] Today is the third election this year in the Johnson County area. In February, a little more than 8 percent of eligible voters in the Iowa City Community School District came out to approve a […]
[Source: “Vote ‘yes’ then volunteer at jail,” Press Citizen, 6 May 2013, by Patricia Knox] For four years I have been a volunteer at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in the Oakdale Prison Community Choir. In the winter of 2009, I took the basic workshop offered by the Alternatives to Violence Project that was […]
[Source: “Johnson County justice center: If not now, then when?,” Press Citizen, 5 May 2013, by Dave Parsons] On the bright side, it appears that everyone now agrees on the need for updated and expanded courthouse and jail facilities in Johnson County. Yet somehow there are a number of factions with competing agendas (some mutually […]
[Source: “Local statistics reflect a national trend,” Press Citizen, 1 May 2013, by Bob Elliott, a former member of the Johnson County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee and a former member of the Iowa City Council.] One of the arguments against approving the referendum for a new justice center is the incarceration disparity in percentage of racial/ethnic […]
[Source: “Proposed justice center would be highly efficient,” Press Citizen, 1 May 2013, by Lonny Pulkrabek, sheriff of Johnson County.] In November of 2005, Johnson County received a report from the Durrant Group that looked at this project and looked at four different locations: • Site 1 was at the existing courthouse and gave a cost […]
[Source: “Additional space at the jail would help expedite cases,” Press Citizen, 1 May 2013, by Jerri Allen, the executive officer of the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services.] The Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, its employees and volunteers serve individuals sentenced to probation/parole. In Johnson County, staff provides community supervision to […]
In the video below, John Whiston speaks about Jail Alternatives and the efficiency of a unified Justice Center. John is a Clinical Professor at the University of Iowa College of Law.
[Source: “Don’t just kick the can down the road,” Press Citizen, 1 May 2013, by Steve Dolezal] A justice center bond referendum is on the ballot Tuesday, and it’s important that the citizens of Johnson County vote “yes” and support this much-needed building. The current jail was built to house 46 inmates and expanded throughout the […]
[Source: “Our View: Vote ‘yes’ and keep addressing concerns,” Press Citizen, 30 April 2013, by the Press Citizen Editorial Board] As a newspaper editorial board, our natural inclination is to side with those who are fighting against the power structure. To fight for those who have documented how about 40 percent of the people in […]
[Source: “County Dems support justice center bond,” Press Citizen, 30 April 2013, by Mike Carberry] Johnson County desperately needs to upgrade the quality of our justice infrastructure. We need a justice center that is safe, disability-accessible and secure on both sides of the judicial bench. We do not have this now. We are one of […]
[Source: “Time for county to get it right: vote ‘yes’,” Press Citizen, 30 April 2013, by Tom Baldridge] I find it interesting that the letters to the editors about Tuesday’s special election tend to follow the same path. If the writer is in favor of the bond issue, the facility under discussion is called a […]
[Source: “Courthouse needs to be updated,” Press Citizen, 28 April 2013, by Paul Burns] The Johnson County courthouse was built at a time when the county’s population was five times smaller and electric lighting was still considered a modern wonder. It is a beautiful building but it doesn’t function well as a working courthouse. We […]
27 April 2013 @ 11:05 PM It’s come to our attention that those opposed to the Justice Center are now claiming that our local jail will be used as a place for ICE to lockup illegal immigrants. We feel this is a misrepresentation similar to the claim that a larger jail would be filled with […]
[Source: “Right time to meet Johnson County’s needs,” Gazette, 27 April 2013, by Jim McCarragher] Johnson County’s 112-year-old historic courthouse and 30-year-old jail are outdated, and represent a threat to public safety, security and access to justice. The $43.5 million bond referendum on May 7 would pay for a new, much-needed Justice Center that combines […]
[Source: “Center will improve safety, security,” Press Citizen, 26 April 2013] I’m directing this letter to University of Iowa students; before you cast your vote regarding the justice center, make sure you are basing your decision off of facts and not speculation or hearsay. Despite what you may have heard, the current jail is not […]
[Source: “Justice center will fill a great need,” Press Citizen, 26 April 2013] You may have seen the headlines or the campaign signs and fliers around campus and Iowa City, telling us to cast our vote either for or against a new jail in Johnson County. As a citizen of Johnson County and a student […]
[Source: “CrimeStoppers supports center,” It has been known for some time that the Iowa City population is fast growing; however, we all may have become complacent as to the generally law-abiding behavior of our community. In 2007, the residents in a west Iowa City neighborhood were brought up short with a home invasion, burglary and […]
[Source: “Downtown impact would be positive,” Press Citizen, 26 April 2013] The location of the proposed justice center (adjacent to the historic courthouse) has been labeled by some as poor choice, but I don’t see how this project would have anything but a positive impact on downtown Iowa City. It’s no accident that most town […]
