As the population of Northwest Arkansas has soared, the region has seen a greater strain on its criminal justice system's resources. Local sheriffs say they need more space to hold inmates in county jails if they are to do their jobs correctly. Justice reform advocates say counties, and the state, need to do a better job of looking at alternatives rather jailing those suspected of crimes and more alternative sentencing options for those convicted. Some jail expansions have progressed in recent years, though larger expansion projects requiring increased sales taxes have failed to garner voter support.

In this episode of Unpacking the Issue, we look at jail crowding in Northwest Arkansas, its causes, its impact on the region and what comes next as officials seek ways to mitigate it.

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