Today we revisit the issue of the Douglas County Jail expansion with the help of Danielle S. Rudes and Dr. Shannon Portillo. Our guests were researchers for the report that was produced by Justice Matters and in this episode, we get to hear all about the process, findings, and recommendations. The evidence all points towards the thesis that jail expansion is not, in fact, the answer to the problems cited by the county, and our guests unpack exactly how the issues that have been highlighted are better served by community programs that deal with rehabilitation and recovery in more effective ways. We note the unfortunate lack of collaboration from the county and discuss this partly surprising stance towards a solution. We also hear about some of the interesting choices around language in the report and how we can start to rethink the purpose of jail time. The conversation ends with some reflections on the recommendations and the values that Danielle and Shannon feel should be given priority as we consider jail reform. These are namely the humanity of the people involved, the safety of communities, and a reliance on evidence and science for the decisions that are made. Tune in to hear all of this and more!