We turn our focus this week to a local struggle. Here in Bloomington Indiana, Monroe County Government is quickly moving forward with a proposal for a new $60+ million dollar jail to replace and expand the downtown jail. With little input from community members, consultants hired by the county have recommended jail expansion, and the county government has begun the purchase of an 87 acre, $10 million property.

In response to the jail proposal controversy, a group of concerned local community members called Care Not Cages has been speaking up. Supporters want the county to pause the construction process and consider alternatives to expanding incarceration. We spoke to a member of the group to get some context about recent events. After that, you’ll hear excerpts from a recent CJRC meeting… where supporters of Care Not Cages shared various concerns about the jail proposal and the direction of the committee.