ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office announced that it has forgiven $509,888 of outstanding debt incurred by 31,614 individuals while at Washtenaw County Jail. The decision, made by Sheriff Jerry Clayton and supported by the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, affects community members incarcerated between January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020. “Our decision to eliminate this debt reflects our understanding of the stress and financial burden of incarceration,” said Clayton through a release. AdThe sum of $509,888 was identified after a review of the jail debt owed since 2013. In 2019, it increased the amount of money an indigent incarcerated individual was allowed from $3 per week to $5 per week and expanded what items that money could buy.