The Saline County Citizens Group for Jail Reform, for the past many months, has been encouraging community involvement in efforts to reduce incarceration rates in the county and to expand jail programming to address inmate mental health and addiction issues in any new jail project. A new jail development proposal will soon face the voters, and this Citizens’ Group has decided to host three separate Community Forums designed to encourage and deepen the conversations on the new jail proposals that have been presented at recent County Town Halls.The first of those Forums will be held in the Prescott Room of the Salina Library on Monday, March 16th at 6 p.m. Michael Hill, Program Director of the new Reno County Jail Facility, will speak at this meeting about their new Hutchinson facility and the success of the programs they have incorporated into that project. A former Reno County inmate who has benefited from that programming is planning to speak that night as well.The second Forum will be April 2 at 6 p.m. at the Church of the Cross, 1600 Rush St., and the third Forum will be April 9 at 7 p.m. at St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church, 215 S. Chicago in Salina.Everyone is invited to these forums as part of public interest in generating an informed vote on the new jail proposal that will come before the county in the very near future. Come to one, or all, of these forums to listen and to share your views.Gerald Gillespie, Citizens Group member, Salina

LETTER: Jail reform group sponsors forums