Letters to the editor for July 17

Justice for all? How would we know?

Is our criminal justice system fair, effective or efficient? Do our police, prosecutors, courts and jails use best practices? We must know to make the justice system fair for everyone.

Currently, the population of Black people in the Thurston County jail is 14%; Census Bureau data shows our county African American population is 3.6%. The difference may result from how ethnicity is tallied, or it could be from racial bias. Unless we track vital indicators in our justice system, we may miss real problems and act on false ones.

Criminal justice is a complex system; it is also local governments’ biggest discretionary expense. To their credit, justice agencies do coordinate and innovate. Courts help defendants with drug, family, and mental health issues. Pretrial Services helps divert people from jail. The county’s Innovative Justice group, Olympia’s Community Court and new policing initiatives strive to deliver humane and effective services.

However, we need professional coordination and oversight of our justice system. A model exists in the county’s Treatment Sales Tax program. Under consideration in the next budget is a county Law and Justice Regional Program Manager. With that position, we’d know how to improve our justice system to be more fair, effective and efficient. It isn’t too late to start being smart about managing our justice system.

Steve Tilley, Community Representative, Thurston County Law and Justice Council, Justice not Jails

Rev. Carol McKinley, Affiliated Minister, Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Join us in voting for Commissioner Hutchings

We’re voting for Hutch.

Hutch listens. Hutch doesn’t stop listening until he fully understands the concerns of his fellow citizens.

He saved our rural home, Millersylvania State Park, and a key environmental and animal habitat region of Thurston County from becoming a victim of massive industrialization.

After multiple combat deployments to the Middle East, we were finally living our lives together next to Millersylvania in peace. We aren’t the only veterans seeking peace here; there are many.

And then came an industrial developer’s attempt to build one of the largest industrial zones on the West Coast, which would have ruined 800 acres of peaceful, fragile environment at Rocky Prairie and Millersylvania. They sought to change our most restrictive environmentally sensitive zone into a 24/7 industrial warehouse district that would allow 4,000 daily truck trips.

Hutch listened to our concerns and to our dreams. Hutch visited our home and neighbors. He talked to the many affected, to those who would lose their ability to live here.

Hutch understood. Hutch delivered. He voted down the rezone request. He protected our local environment. He protected us.

Hutch has protected people his entire career. He’s sensitive to veterans and to mental health issues. His son is an IED attack victim. Hutch knows why veterans seek the outdoors and peace. He’s a pioneer of de-escalation research for police dealing with veterans with PTSD.

That’s the mark of someone who cares and protects, a person of the highest character.

You have our vote, Hutch.

Andrew and Michelle Newman, Olympia