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Pretrial is still trying to sell a system that has failed in many places. This must see campaign, has new information and states facts that just aren’t true. I see this as a failure to the criminal justice system. Their systems cost tax payers millions and will only add to the increasing crime rate over the next few years. I’m asking everyone if there is anything at this time that the federal government is operating that is not failing or a misuse of our tax dollars? Do we need more federal government telling states and counties how to run their justice system? Local officials need to look into how commercial bail truly works instead of the illusion someone’s given them. For every commercial bond policy written, the cities and states are earning revenue and they don’t even realize this. Bail agents are licensed insurance agents and yes, they pay high premium taxes. Officials aren’t told when a policy is paid out and millions of dollars are going into court budgets and even our school systems. Also with Pretrial, the burden is on local law enforcement, who are already over worked, to look for people who fail to appear. Pretrial Release is not telling county councils and administrators about this or how are they going to afford their program after the grants run out. In fact, Flagler, Florida had to cut the program due to these very issues. The realization cost of this program can be in the hundreds of thousands a month to operate and property taxes would increase. Yes, commercial bail is the best system because it doesn’t pass along the cost to the tax payer but instead generates millions to state budgets. If a person can’t get out of jail on a surety bond, it’s more likely that the person is a greater risk rather then that they just don’t have the money. For generations, Commercial bail has made every attempt to keep the jails from becoming over crowded but unfortunately, jails are overcrowded and it’s based on repeat offenders and all the “get out of jail free” cards issued by some judges and this pretrial system. Is anyone going to prison anymore? Maybe if we built more prisons and worked at this country’s failing probation system, with its repeat offenders and their repeat probation, then our country’s jails would not be overcrowded. “Get out of jail free” cards by pretrial will increase crime in your neighborhoods and keep law enforcement from responding to its citizens calls because they are having to chase failure to appears for pretrial, and your property taxes will go up to pay for these “get out of jail free” systems. Who is truly working to do the right thing? Commercial bail bondsmen, that’s who. I have a thought. Why aren’t they more worried about getting people that are stuck in jail, into a court room faster to determine their innocence or guilt? I say if a person is incarcerated more than 30 days, get them into the court room. This would solve the problem and save counties and states millions on several levels. I also have to ask, if a person is having to pay pretrial while out on free bail, is this not “money bail” also? The citizens in this country need to be aware of what’s going on. Visit the link below to see the new national Pretrial campaign and what the bail industry is up against.
http://projects.pretrial.org/3dayscount/
Scott B. Willis, CEO
