Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force

Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force Official page for Whatcom County's Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force (IPRTF)

Whatcom County's Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force has worked since 2015 to increase resources to address underlying causes of incarceration in order to prevent incarceration outright—and lead people out of the criminal legal system and into supportive services, reducing the chances of re-incarceration. The Task Force is responsible for reviewing Whatcom County’s criminal legal and

behavioral health programs and making specific recommendations on evidence-based programs and approaches to safely and effectively reduce incarceration of individuals struggling with mental illness and substance use disorder.

Join us today--Monday, June 22--at 9 a.m. for a meeting of the full Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force! M...
06/22/2026

Join us today--Monday, June 22--at 9 a.m. for a meeting of the full Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force!

Meeting Agenda:
1. Call to Order
2. 2026 IPRTF Annual Report
3. County Council Resolution 2026-018: IPRTF Workgroups
4. Legislative Priorities Workgroup
5. Review IPRTF Priorities, Goals, and Action Plan
6. Committee Updates
7. Other Business
8. Public Comment

You can join the meeting via Zoom or watch along in the County Council Office Conference Room (Suite 105) at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham. *Please note that all committee members will be participating via Zoom.

Zoom Info:
Call-in phone number: 253-215-8782
Meeting/Webinar ID: 858 2436 4840
Passcode: 17783

Learn more at our website: www.whatcomcounty.us/4086

Join us this afternoon--Wednesday, June 10--at 1 p.m. for a meeting of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task F...
06/10/2026

Join us this afternoon--Wednesday, June 10--at 1 p.m. for a meeting of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force Steering Committee!

Meeting Agenda:

1. 2026 Annual Report
2. County Council Resolution 2026-018: IPRTF Workgroups
3. Crime Victim Perspective
4. Enabling Statutes and IPRTF Membership
5. Annual Legislative Agenda
6. Items for the Next Task Force Agenda

You can join the meeting via Zoom or watch along in the County Council Office Conference Room (Suite 105) at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham. *Please note that all committee members will be participating via Zoom.

Zoom Info:

Call-in phone number: 253-215-8782
Meeting/Webinar ID: 876 9818 8322
Passcode: 17783

Learn more at our website: www.whatcomcounty.us/2353

Join us for Task Force and committee meetings this week: On Monday, May 18 at 9:00 AM, the full Incarceration Prevention...
05/18/2026

Join us for Task Force and committee meetings this week:

On Monday, May 18 at 9:00 AM, the full Incarceration Prevention & Reduction Task Force meets to review the 2026 IPRTF Annual Report, discuss jail planning, review IPRTF goals, priorities, and enabling statutes.

Learn more about the Task Force: www.whatcomcounty.us/2188

On Thursday, May 21 at 2:00 PM, the Justice Project Oversight & Planning Committee will receive updates on planning and community engagement around the new jail and behavioral care center, review the draft 2026 IPRTF Annual Report, and participate in a panel discussion with supportive housing specialists.

Learn more about the JPOP Committee: www.whatcomcounty.us/4461

On Friday, May 22 at 11:00 AM, the Legal & Justice Committee will hold a regular meeting--agenda coming soon!

Learn more about the Legal & Justice Systems Committee: www.whatcomcounty.us/2355

Join us this morning, Thursday, May 7, at 11 a.m. for a meeting of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Steering C...
05/07/2026

Join us this morning, Thursday, May 7, at 11 a.m. for a meeting of the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Steering Committee!

Meeting Agenda:

1. Call to Order
2. IPRTF 2026 Annual Report
3. County Council Resolution establishing a preliminary planning budget cap, affirming governing commitments, and providing recommendations to the administration from the Whatcom County Council on the capital construction of the Whatcom County Jail and Behavioral Care Center
4. Items for the next Task Force agenda
5. Other Business
6. Public Comment

You can join the meeting via Zoom or you can watch along in the County Council Office Conference Room (Suite 105) at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham. Please note that all committee members will be participating via Zoom.

Zoom Info:

Call-in phone number: 253-215-8782
Meeting/Webinar ID: 851 4007 3452
Password: 17783

Learn more at our website: www.whatcomcounty.us/2353

Led by the efforts of the Justice Project Oversight and Planning (JPOP) Committee, Whatcom County launched a new data tr...
04/14/2026

Led by the efforts of the Justice Project Oversight and Planning (JPOP) Committee, Whatcom County launched a new data tracking site to share currently available data related to the Justice Project, the voter-approved initiative to reshape our community’s criminal justice and behavioral health systems.

The site presents data and reports from a variety of sources with a nexus to the county’s criminal justice and behavioral health systems, including the Anne Deacon Center for Hope Crisis Triage Center, the Sheriff’s Office, and various diversion programs operating in the county.

Tawsha Thompson, Co-Chair of the JPOP Committee, stressed that reliable and accessible data is essential to the success of the Justice Project. She said, "Data allows us to better understand current outcomes, identify disparities, measure progress, and guide meaningful, evidence-based improvements tailored to our community."

The new data tracking site compiles the most relevant data available now in an easy-to-access format while Whatcom County continues its work to develop a comprehensive data dashboard.

Justice Project Data Tracking Site: www.whatcomcounty.us/4769

04/02/2026

Looking for ways to get involved in the Justice Project?

Whatcom County is moving forward with design and construction of new justice facilities including a Behavioral Care Center and a New Jail and is on track to cut the ribbon on both facilities in 2028.

You can get involved in the process by:

- Attending or speaking at a Justice Project Oversight and Planning Committee meeting (https://www.whatcomcounty.us/4322/Justice-Project-Oversight-and-Planning-J)

- Attending or speaking at a Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force meeting (https://www.whatcomcounty.us/4086/Incarceration-Prevention-Reduction-Task-)

- Signing up for monthly email updates on the Justice Project (https://www.whatcomcounty.us/4666/Justice-Project)

- Sending your thoughts directly to your elected officials via email at [email protected] or [email protected].

Address

311 Grand Avenue , Suite 105
Bellingham, WA
98225

Telephone

+13607785010

Website

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