tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post3236473055808946178..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Harris Jail overcrowded, again; bail reform desperately neededGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-29439259586055052016-11-07T10:17:35.547-06:002016-11-07T10:17:35.547-06:00Bring back Speedy Trial for DA's and CA's!...Bring back Speedy Trial for DA's and CA's! That will help! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-15572987064667074812016-11-06T22:48:38.916-06:002016-11-06T22:48:38.916-06:00Another tactic to consider is to pick and choose o...Another tactic to consider is to pick and choose our battles. Police need to learn that arrest and the criminal justice system should be the last resort to dealing with society's problems and not the first. There are better ways to do this.Leenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-28004946088718092502016-11-06T19:20:30.447-06:002016-11-06T19:20:30.447-06:00Someone should look closely at relationships betwe...<br />Someone should look closely at relationships between county officials and the private jail operator the county is contracting with to house inmates off-site in order to alleviate overcrowding. Grits has laid out a no-brainer option for reducing overcrowding (PR bonds for low level defendants awaiting trial), an option many counties use, but one Harris County has consistently and obstinately refused to utilize. Because of that refusal, the county is forced to send inmates to other jails. I believe the Chronicle reported this week it's costing the county $400,000-$500,000 per month. The cost is based on the number of inmates being sent and it has in the past cost the county as much as $1 million per month. Someone is making a lot of money from that. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-44061470902148190892016-11-06T14:35:52.306-06:002016-11-06T14:35:52.306-06:00It is ridiculous that public employees turn agains...It is ridiculous that public employees turn against their own. Can't wait until they are put in the same position as the people they persecute. The time is coming and these dishonorable public employees will be thrown under the bus. <br /><br />The people, juries and plain Americans that respect our country will wake up to the rule of Law not codes, rules, and regulations meant for public employees.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-68324030366270990712016-11-06T11:54:31.500-06:002016-11-06T11:54:31.500-06:00Anon. your questions are on point. however, I reca...Anon. your questions are on point. however, I recall the conflicting information raised in discussions among Legislators Senator Whitmire and Representative Dutton and others. More recently, in the aftermath of the Bland's felony assault by a peace officer, her illegal arrest and death several conferences were held, and like always, nothing positive has occurred.<br /><br />The policy of allowing judges to determine whether persons should be entitled to bail and/or a court appointed attorney, raises questions of conflict-of-interest and separation-of-power issues. Texas bifurcated system allows for unjust enrichment by a few blood-suckers who's only interest is gaming the system.Gunny Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13448009694638227325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-17335060717817510032016-11-05T19:23:20.165-05:002016-11-05T19:23:20.165-05:00Actually, 5:09, I think giving PR bonds to those w...Actually, 5:09, I think giving PR bonds to those would mean they could end variances and stop shipping inmates out of county. Because: Math. To reduce incarceration further would require using risk assessments for all inmates instead of relying solely on cash bail.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-40380179132991619402016-11-05T17:09:06.616-05:002016-11-05T17:09:06.616-05:00So out of 9004 local inmates in the Harris County ...So out of 9004 local inmates in the Harris County jail, only 371 are there on pending misdemeanor charges? Presumably, some of those had originally made a bond of some sort and then didn't show for court and had their bond forfeited. And you think giving them all PR bonds will make a significant impact on the jail population in Harris County? Even if you add the 653 State Jail pretrial detainees--and again I would be a good percentage of those are bond forfeitures as well, I'm thinking the bail reform along the lines you're advocating isn't going help much for long. Just another liberal "touchy feely" bandaid. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-69259881221286616442016-11-05T13:16:10.811-05:002016-11-05T13:16:10.811-05:00Most but not all of that is available at http://ww...Most but not all of that is available at http://www.tcjs.state.tx.us/docs/AbbreRptCurrent.pdfGritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-50010512609779185602016-11-05T12:17:12.474-05:002016-11-05T12:17:12.474-05:00Do you happen to have a breakdown on how many of t...Do you happen to have a breakdown on how many of the inmates are there on misdemeanors, State Jails and Third Degrees and above? Also, how many are incarcerated because of motions to revoke or adjudicate probations; and bond forfeitures/failure to appear? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com