Education– In order to reduce the recidivism rate in our county, it is imperative to institute a career driven education program for inmates. The career readiness program would identify Gwinnett County’s top growing industries and focus on equipping inmates with the necessary tools to excel in those fields. The goal is to fully integrate inmates back into society as productive and law abiding citizens. The proposed program, L.E.A.R.N. Gwinnett (CounseLing & Educating InmAtes for CaReer ReadiNess) would counsel and educate inmates in growing Gwinnett County industries. (Insert link to Education Powerpoint)
287(g)– 287(g) is a federal program which allows the Department of Homeland Security to deputize local law enforcement to implement immigration laws. The implementation of 287(g) comes at a substantial cost for the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office; the program accounts for just over $2 million of the Sheriff’s Office’s budget. Gwinnett County’s reported 287(g) instances totaled close to 5,700 in 2017 which was one-fifth of all 287(g) encounters in the United States. Of the 5,700 events under 287(g), over 650 transfers to ICE custody were documented. The cost to detain noncitizen falls to the taxpayer. Most of the people detained under 287(g) are being held for “minor offenses-like driving without a license-that other counties merely ticket.” It should be a priority to protect and serve all people in Gwinnett. This includes individuals that have made minor violations that should not lead to deportation. (Insert link to 287(g) Powerpoint)
Gang Task Force/Intel Unit– Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office should be the preeminent law enforcement agency in the county. With the development of a dedicated narcotics task force as well as a gang/intel unit specific to Gwinnett, the Sheriff’s Office will maintain a cache of information relative to both issues while implementing drug and gang tracking programs. Gwinnett County needs a specialized and dedicated group of law enforcement professionals who are knowledgeable about gang and drug issues specific to Gwinnett County. The goal of such a task force is to expedite the process of protecting Gwinnett County and its citizens through the open sharing of gathered intel to all pertinent law enforcement agencies.
Mental Health– It is critical to acknowledge the link between inmates and those who suffer from mental health issues. Me must fully integrate mental health treatment and substance abuse programs into inmate rehabilitation. It is important to establish routine therapeutic practices while incarcerated that will set a precedent for an inmate’s positive and healthy reentry into society.
Human Trafficking– As a major Metropolitan county that is connected to the world’s busiest airport by several major interstates, we must prioritize and pledge to fight human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of all people. This can and will be done while strengthening programs that provide support for sex trafficking victims. As Sheriff, I will ensure that increased efforts are made to identify persons that may be victims of trafficking during the intake process. Additionally, staff will be dedicated to education efforts in our community to bring awareness to the citizens on prevention and identification of human trafficking victims.