Data Source: Compiled by the Prison Policy Initiative with data from the Otsego County Justice Complex Feasibility Study. (Graph: Wendy Sawyer, 2021)

This graph originally appeared in Smoke and mirrors: A cautionary tale for counties considering a big, costly new jail.

In Otsego County (Mich.), instead of expanding upon the alternative sanctions already in place, law enforcement and judicial officials estimated that if they had a bigger jail, they “could now have 90-100” people in jail instead of 30-40. According to the feasibility study, these include 45 “potential probation violators” and 20 people who would – with the current system – be sentenced to the alternative work release program. Their intention is clear: if taxpayers let them build a bigger jail, they can and will fill it.