Transition Center at the Pima County Jail

By Arnie Bermudez

February 21, 2025

The Pima County Jail is an expensive institution. To book an inmate costs $495.94 and each day costs the city or county $125.09 per day, which can add up. The jail also has issues like understaffing and an abnormal number of deaths. A proposal to build an entirely new $800 million facility failed.

It is also a failure when inmates who have done their time and are released into the community make choices that result in another arrest and return to jail.

To stop this unfortunate revolving door not only helps the individuals, but is a cost-saving measure. That’s why the Pima County Transition Center was created – to curb inmate recidivism.

The exterior of The Pima County Transition Center on Silverlake Road.

Ward 3 staff recently toured the Transition Center along with Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar and Ward 6 Council Member Karin Uhlich. It’s located just east of the Pima County Adult Detention Center (jail) on Silverlake Road. The unassuming modular building contains a remarkable team of caring specialists, led by Justice Services Director Kate Vesely. They help recently released individuals find resources as they make their way back into society, providing tools to help people break the cycle of incarceration.

Director Vesely showed us how her team works to help connect people with basic needs such as housing or treatment. Sometimes they even give them a ride to where they need to go after their release (one of the two Tucson employees embedded in this County program is a regular driver). The Center is a conduit for community services and a "nexus of information for loved ones." They can help with warrant resolutions and guide to make it back to their next court appearance. Through their hard work and efforts, the center has diminished the rate of recidivism from 30 percent to 20 percent, which is saving the City and Pima County an estimated $80k in booking and housing fees a month.

Assistant TPD Chief Mickey Petersen, TPD Chief Chad Kasmar, Ward 6 Council Member Karin Uhlich, and Ward 3 Council Member Kevin Dahl.

Diversion programs such as the Transition Center can change behavior at a much lower cost of additional incarceration. Furthermore, it lessens the burden and the need for more staff inside the jail and eliminates the demand for a larger facility. These measures also minimize disruptions to the lives of those arrested and released by streamlining the process and making it easier to navigate.

Ward 3 Office Administrator Shannon Jenkins. TPD Police Chief Chad Kasmar, Ward 6 Chief of Staff Diana Amado, Justice Services Director Kate Vesely, Ward 3 Council Member Kevin Dahl, Assistant Chief Mickey Petersen, and Ward 3 Council Aide Naomi Lee.

If you or anyone you know need help after being released from the Pima County Adult Detention Center, please reach out to the Transition Center, located at 1204 W. Silverlake Road. Kate Vesely and her team of Justice Navigators can be reached at 520-724-2463 or jstransitioncenter@pima.gov.