MISSOULA — Missoula County has once again received a grant to help continue efforts to reduce the number of inmates at the Missoula jail while also addressing racial and ethnic disparities in the local justice system.
The Missoula County Community Justice Department recently received a second two-year $700,000 grant through the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge.
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The money will help expand current initiatives launched in 2018 when Missoula County was first awarded a Safety and Justice Challenge grant.
“This grant allows Missoula County the ability to make headway in many areas including criminal justice reform, equity, public safety and the efficient use of public funds,” Missoula County Commissioner Josh Slotnick said.
In addition to hiring staff, the county plans to expand on the current jail population dashboard by gathering additional data to help identify and analyze racial and ethnic disparities in the legal justice system from the initial point of contact to adjudication.
The grant runs from April 1, 2021, through June 30, 2023.
