Gordon Forgey

Martin Hall, the multi-county facility for incarcerating juveniles, is in financial trouble. Simply put, not enough juveniles are being sent there.

A consortium of counties is trying to solve the problem.

The answer is simple: Incarcerate more kids.

Follow a long-held government tradition: Go for the money.

One classic example is the state of Washington a few years ago during the budget crisis. After years of criminalizing marijuana, the possibility of getting income from taxing marijuana sales prompted some legislators and government officials to salivate over the fresh source of money. Forget all the long held beliefs about the dangers of the plant, go for the money.

This also helps to explain why every law enforcement agency preys on traffic in Colfax. The revenues are good, the pickings are easy. Forget about public safety elsewhere.

It explains why government fees have grown. It explains why inmates must pay to stay in jail and why Washingtonians must regularly buy new license plates—needed or not.

It explains why the state parks department is selling advertising and expensive passes and why park land is porcupined with antennas.

It is a tradition. Need money? Figure out ways to get it, even though it might fly in the face of principle.

Martin Hall can be saved by following the same tradition. Just have the participating counties put a quota on arresting kids. Revenues will increase. The only loss will be justice.

Fairness is not a matter of concern here. This is a matter of money.

Go for it.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher