Tompkins County is excited to host members of the New York Giants football team this afternoon for a tour of the Tompkins County Jail and a discussion about the alternatives to incarceration programs the County is using to reduce its jail population.
“We anticipate two of the Giants defensive backfield, Antoine Bethea and Michael Thomas, to be visiting,” said Legislator Rich John, Chair of the County Legislature’s Public Safety Committee. “In partnership with the VERA Institute, a criminal justice think tank, the Giants are taking the trip to learn about criminal justice issues in Upstate New York. They are stopping in Binghamton before coming here.
“They are interested in seeing what we are doing because Tompkins County is a leader in the State in balancing use of our Jail with alternatives to incarceration,” Mr. John continued. “Our overall goal is to keep as many people as possible outside of the Jail walls, while maintaining a safe community. While not always possible, keeping people in their community is cheaper and generally has better long-term outcomes than putting them in the Jail. As a result of our efforts, the local Jail population is less than a third of the national average, with a crime rate that is low and in line with other Upstate counties.”
The visit will start with a tour of the Tompkins County Jail, and be followed by a discussion of the County’s alternatives to incarceration programs.
Because of the short timeframe and educational purpose, the event is not open to the public.