Blog cited in article on pretrial release

Cool! It's nice to know somebody's reading.

Diana Claitor of the newly formed Texas Jail Project quoted this Grits for Breakfast item in an article for the Lone Star Iconoclast about pre-trial detention (Texas Hold 'em, Oct. 2). Focusing on the story of one woman in the Victoria County Jail, she proposes preserving families, helping defendants keep their jobs, and freeing up jail space by releasing more misdemeanor and low-level felony defendants on personal bond pending trial (a long-time Grits hobby horse).

She even quotes one of my new colleagues at the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition (TCJC): "The vast majority of jailable misdemeanor cases in Texas are resolved by uncounseled guilty pleas," said Dominic Gonzales, director of the Fair Defense Project at TCJC. "They use pressure and persuasion and coerce defendants to waive the right to counsel," he said.

I'll want to learn more about the Texas Jail Project. Interesting stuff. Check out Ms. Claitor's op ed.