When Mayor Joe Hogsett took office, he stated that one of the priorities of the new administration would be criminal justice reform, which would include policy changes as well as the exploration of new facilities. In May 2016, he announced the formation of a Criminal Justice Reform Task Force, comprised of community and issue stakeholders, members of the City-County Council, and more. The task force spend months gathering and examining data about the current criminal justice system in the county, and developed recommendations. In December, the city unveiled reform recommendations that include building a new Criminal Justice Center somewhere in the city. After much consideration about potential sites, the city has narrowed their sights on three: the Twin Aire former Citizen’s Gas Coke Plant, a piece of land near Indianapolis International Airport, and Sherman Park on the east side.
On January 12, about 80 eastsiders gathered at the John H. Boner Neighborhood Center to listen to the city’s proposal, ask questions, and get feedback. Organized by Near East Area Renewal, the city’s Corporation Counsel Andy Mallon outlined preliminary plans for the campus, which would include a county jail and a new assessment and intervention center for low-level offenders. “This isn’t a jail project, this is a justice reform project,” Mallon noted.
The assessment and intervention center was described as an “off-ramp” for individuals who require mental health services or addiction issues that lead to them being taken into custody. Eskenazi Health and Marion County Health and Hospital would oversee assessments and guide individuals to treatment instead of jail. Mallon stressed that this option was only for non-violent low level offenders.
The jail itself would replace Jail I and II that are currently downtown, and the Duvall Re-entry Center would be moved to Jail II, according to Mallon. “It makes more sense to have the work release program downtown.” At this point, the site would only hold adults.
Mallon also noted during the meeting there was a great deal of potential for creating a criminal justice campus that could include a combined county courthouse, and shifting the Prosecutor’s and Public Defender offices to the new campus. However, he noted that the judiciary would have to agree to the change.
Neighbors in attendance submitted questions for Mallon and Paul Babcock about the proposal. A big concern was the potential for increased crime in the area; Mallon responded that there would be an increased police presence in the area if it was built, and that neighborhoods around the current jails have low crime rates. In response to a question about jobs, he stated that most of the jobs would be relocated from existing facilities and it wasn’t likely that new jobs would be created at the new site. However, he noted that economic development might be increased in the area with the new activity. “It is possible that property owners might renovate their buildings to offer them for rent for offices,” he suggested.
Citizens also expressed concerns about the facility potentially lowering property values, and clean-up of the contaminated site. Joe Bowling, representing NEAR, said that they are aware that property has industrial contamination. NEAR has recently been awarded an Area-Wide Planning Grant by the EPA to look at possible reuses of Sherman Park.
Mallon stressed that there were no architectural or site plans because no site has been selected yet, and that there were a lot of unknowns because very few projects like this have completed and studied. “This meeting is to hear what the neighborhood has to say and get feedback. We’re not here to shove anything down anyone’s throat.” He also pointed out that the task force will make their recommendation for a location Jan. 31.
A non-binding straw poll was taken, and about 75 percent of the audience was in favor of the proposal, and the remainder either undecided or not in favor. Another meeting and conversation has been scheduled for Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. at the Englewood Christian Church, 57 N. Rural Ave.. For more information from the city, visit criminaljusticereform.indy.gov. Contact CoraLyn Turentine, Director of Neighborhood Engagement via e-mail at cturentine@jbncenters.org or call 317-808-2336 for more information.
