LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The jail population at Louisville Metro Corrections is expected to increase in the comings months after a nonprofit decided to shift its operational strategies.
Last month, the Louisville chapter of the Bail Project announced its decision to stop bail assistance July 10. The nonprofit provided free bail assistance to low-income along with helping people return to court and navigate voluntary supportive services while they wait for trial.
The chapter opted to shift its strategy to an advocacy-first approach by focusing on changing laws, policies and programs that govern Kentucky's pretrial systems.
"It's very evident that folks will come back to court if there are not any financial means hanging over their head and if there are places in the community that people can be connected to meet their needs that will reduce their failures to appear in court and will reduce their recidivism," said Carrie Cole, operations manager for the Louisville Bail Project.
Jerry Collins, director of Louisville Metro Corrections, said the jail has had a decrease in its population the past few years. In the past 12 months, there has been a 11.95% decrease in average daily population at the jail.
"The system overall, learned a lot of lessons during COVID, we could reduce the jail population in creative ways," Collins said. "It's going to be more of a challenge now with the Bail Project moving on."
The jail has made improvements in retention and recruitment, but is still short 85 sworn officers. According to Louisville Metro Department of Corrections' jail population dashboard, there are currently 1,218 people housed at the jail in downtown Louisville.
The Jail Policy Committee met in Louisville, Ky. on July 25, 2023.
Collins expects discussions to continue so alternative ways can be found to keep the jail's population down. On Tuesday, the Jail Policy Committee met in downtown Louisville to discuss strategies.
"Hopefully, with communication with the courts, public defenders and prosecutors, we can reduce some of those bails or eliminate some of those bails for non-felony, non-violent offenses," Collins said.
Cole and members of the Bail Project are advocating for local and statewide reform.
"We are working to create more sustainable and ongoing change for the pre-trial population in Louisville and in Kentucky," Cole said.
Over the past five years, the Bail Project has helped more than 4,200 low-income Kentuckians. With the Bail Project shifting its strategy in Louisville, Collins expects there to be an increase in the jail's population.
"If we are cognizant of that, we can have some change in legislation," Collins said. "Connecting folks when they do get released from jail with the resources they need makes them less likely to come back to jail. We want to reduce that recidivism."
The Louisville chapter still has about 1,000 active cases its working. Cole said The Bail Project will see those cases through the end by connecting clients to services like treatment, employment and education.
"That way, folks aren't held due to poverty," Cole said. "They're able to be out with their jobs and their families and be able to have the presumption of innocence, which is in the Constitution."
Six percent of the jail's population are currently being held on bonds of $1,000 or lower, while 64% of people being house at the jail are being held on bonds of $10,000 or more.
There are a variety of reentry service centers available around Kentucky, to view those locations, click here.
Related Stories:
- Louisville Bail Project shifting strategy to public advocacy, ending free bail assistance
- Louisville's jail seeing improvement in recruitment, retention but remains short 85 officers, director says
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