### Meeting Overview The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee met on July 22, 2025 to receive a presentation on independent jail capacity analysis for Whatcom County's planned Public Health Safety and Justice facility. Committee Chair Barry Buchanan led the meeting with committee members Tyler Byrd and Jon Scanlon, while Council members Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, Kaylee Galloway, and Mark Stremler also participated. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Average Daily Population (ADP):** The typical number of inmates housed in a jail facility each day, calculated over time periods to identify trends and capacity needs. **Average Length of Stay (ALOS):** How long inmates remain in jail on average, which directly impacts bed utilization and overall capacity requirements. **80% Rule:** A jail management principle stating that facilities operate most efficiently when at 80% capacity, providing flexibility for peak periods and proper inmate classification. **Classification Factor:** A 20% capacity buffer to handle population peaks and properly separate inmates by housing needs (male/female, risk levels, special needs). **Special Housing Units:** Smaller housing areas designed for inmates with specific needs like mental health issues, substance abuse disorders, trauma, or requiring protective custody. **General Population:** The main housing areas where inmates are placed after orientation and classification, designed for inmates who don't require specialized housing. **Orientation Beds:** Initial housing for new arrivals (48-72 hours) where inmates undergo medical checks, classification assessments, and evaluation for proper housing placement. **Gender Responsive Design:** Jail design features that accommodate the different needs and experiences of male and female inmates. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Barry Buchanan | Committee Chair | | Tyler Byrd | Committee Member | | Jon Scanlon | Committee Member | | Eric Ratts | Vice President, DLZ Architecture and Engineering (Consultant) | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Deputy Executive, Whatcom County | | Adam Johnson | Project Manager, STV | | Todd Donovan | Council Member | | Ben Elenbaas | Council Member | | Kaylee Galloway | Council Member | | Mark Stremler | Council Member | ### Background Context Whatcom County voters approved funding for a new Public Health Safety and Justice facility, but the exact jail capacity was left to be determined through this professional analysis. The county faces significant population growth that will triple over the next 30+ years, creating pressure for adequate jail capacity. However, the community wants to avoid both over-building (which increases costs and potentially unnecessary incarceration) and under-building (which fails to meet public safety needs). The county currently operates with jail capacity constraints and has worked to keep average length of stay below national averages through collaborative criminal justice practices. This analysis will inform the design-build process starting in August 2025, when scenarios will be developed for county council consideration. ### What Happened — The Short Version Jail capacity expert Eric Ratts presented projections showing Whatcom County needs approximately 480 beds by 2030, 624 beds by 2040, and 720 beds by 2050. His analysis recommends building orientation and special housing capacity (192 beds total) immediately for the full 2050 projection, but adding general population beds in phases. For 2030, this means 288 general population beds plus the 192 specialized beds. The analysis emphasized building "the right types of beds" rather than just more general population. Special housing units for inmates with mental health needs, substance abuse disorders, trauma, and other issues should be prioritized, as they serve the majority of the jail population and support successful reentry. Council members questioned how policy changes could reduce jail population and asked the Integrated Public Safety Response Task Force (IPRTF) to analyze factors that could lower average daily population and length of stay. ### What to Watch Next - August 2025: Design-builder comes on board to develop scenarios - Fall 2025: County budget discussions that could include investments in programs affecting jail population - Future presentations to County Council with facility size and cost options - IPRTF analysis of factors that could reduce jail population through policy changes ---