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Council reviews declining jail population, programming and reentry-employment connections
Summary
At the June 10 CJCC meeting, staff reported a May average daily jail population of 51 and discussed programming links to employment, electronic monitoring (Huber) changes and a Department of Corrections employment coordinator outreach aimed at helping people find post-release work.
Sawyer County jail staff and council members reported May population data and discussed reentry, employment pathways and program supports at the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council meeting on June 10.
The May jail report showed an average daily population of 51—10 female and 41 male—an average probation incarceration of 28, average pre-sentence incarceration of 15 and average sentence incarceration of eight; total population was listed as 52. Staff also reported an unemployment rate at booking of 62%.
Members noted that as overall jail population declines, the unemployment rate for people at booking has also dropped, a trend they linked to programming and local labor demand. Council discussion focused on whether local employers will hire people with criminal records, seasonal hiring patterns that increase summer opportunities, and potential CJCC priorities to connect program graduates to hiring partners. Members pointed to possible outreach to trade employers, including a builder association, and emphasized the role of volunteer-based training and apprenticeships.
Council members clarified that the county’s Huber-style work-release has been modified: eligible people who meet criteria are now typically released on electronic monitoring rather than remaining in the jail with Huber privileges. At the time of the meeting staff said there were no people on electronic monitoring; they said eligibility and participant willingness to follow monitoring rules are common barriers.
Katie Bellinger described an employment-program coordinator in the Department of Corrections (identified in the meeting as Ben Natzke) who circulates weekly job leads, hosts hiring events, and has begun monthly in-person office days in Hayward. Bellinger said that coordinator has about 40 clients regionwide and roughly 13 clients from her office; staff are sharing job leads in lobbies and assisting people barred from online applications because of supervision restrictions.
No formal council action was recorded on these topics during the meeting. Members agreed to consider employer outreach and potential CJCC priorities at future meetings.
