WGTE PUBLIC MEDIA TO BROADCAST A LIVE TOWN HALL AND NEW DOCUMENTARY FOR ITS RETHINKING JAILS + JUSTICE PROJECT

The “Rethinking Jails + Justice” project is in collaboration with The Board of Lucas County Commissioners and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Safety + Justice Challenge

TOLEDO, OHIO – November 13, 2024 – WGTE Public Media’s “Rethinking Jails + Justice”, in collaboration with The Board of Lucas County Commissioners and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Safety + Justice Challenge, is set to launch the last phase of the project on November 14. This project concludes with a documentary and live town hall discussion to be broadcast on WGTE HD and online at wgte.org. They examine and challenge conventional thinking about over-incarceration that adversely and disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities.

After a decade and five million dollars in grant funding, Lucas County stands at a crossroads in its journey toward criminal justice reform. In the Rethinking Jails + Justice Documentary, we dive into the roots of the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety + Justice Challenge, examining both the successes and setbacks of the initiative and asking: where does the path lead next?

Immediately following the documentary, WGTE will go live in studio with moderator Jerry Anderson and community stakeholders to discuss the overall project and outcomes of the Safety + Justice Challenge initiative and recap what WGTE Public Media has discovered over the past 12 months. There will be interactive capabilities for viewers to submit questions and comments.

The live Town Hall and documentary broadcast begins on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 8 p.m. on WGTE HD 30.1 and wgte.org. A livestream of the event will be available on YouTube and Facebook Live and viewer questions may be submitted during the discussion in the comments section and by email townhall@wgte.org.

Jerry Anderson will moderate the town hall event, guiding the following panelists through the conversation:

• Jason Hibbs, Rethinking Jails + Justice Reporter, Podcast and Documentary Producer
• Laurie Garduque, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
• Mike Navarre, Lucas County Sheriff
• Eloy Perez, Previously Incarcerated
• Pete Gerken, Lucas County Commissioner
• Lisa Sobecki, Lucas County Commissioner
• Thomas Crowe, Outreach & Assessment Specialist, Zepf Center Fatherhood Program
• Holly Matthews, Executive Director: Toledo-Lucas County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
• Adam M. Watkins, Ph.D., Criminal Justice Professor, Bowling Green State University
• Malcolm Cunningham, City of Toledo’s Director of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement
• Mike Hampton, Previously Incarcerated, current system mentor

Questions, concerns and comments may be asked and stated at the event or submitted ahead of time to townhall@wgte.org.

Visit www.wgte.org/rjj for more information on WGTE’s “Rethinking Jails + Justice.”

For more information on the Lucas County Safety + Justice Challenge, visit www.lucascountycjcc.org/SJC