Keep Bailing

OAKLAND — On Tuesday, approximately 140 health care workers, who are members of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, held a one day strike at the Santa Rita Jail and the North County jail in Oakland.

They were protesting against stagnant contract negotiations which stated that management wants its employees to pay for 30% of their own health care costs.

On Wednesday, the employees were locked out. 

Their fight pushed forward after Read more »

Nonviolent inmates who are currently in a Los Angeles County jail could serve only 80% of their jail terms.  And, according to department officials, that number could be knocked down to them serving only 50% of their sentences.

So what’s happening here?  LA County Sheriff Lee Baca stated that these early release sentences for inmates may be the future of what’s “inevitable” as the county’s budget crisis continues. The Department currently faces a $128 million budget gap.

Department spokesman Read more »

Los Angeles police investigators have reported that a 22-year old woman who had allegedly been abducted by her own mother has been located.  It all started 14 years ago when Jessica Click-Hill was reported missing by her father, Dean Click on September 2nd, 1995 in Walnut Creek, CA.

Back then, charges were filed against the 52-year-old mother, (Hill) who also goes by the name Gail D. Jackson. However, she disappeared before authorities could arrest her. Later, the FBI issued an arrest warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

This week, the FBI Read more »

Farmland south of the Salinas city limits has been slated as the building site for a new and larger Monterey County jail that will be part of a “public safety campus.” Other facilities on the proposed site include a new juvenile hall, youth center and a Probation Department. Unfortunately, the county currently doesn’t have the budget to construct this detention center or its related facilities, so it will probably be five years until ground can be broken. But that did not stop the Monterey County Board of Supervisors from approving it, anyway.

The deal allows Read more »

Our California Jails Series Continues…

When you think of Santa Barbara you probably think of life enchanted by the Pacific Ocean… a lovely walk down State Street, a visit to the zoo, great food, college students at Isla Vista… As bondsmen, when we think of Santa Barbara along with all of the beauty the County has to offer, we think of the Santa Barbara jail system.

Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds continues with the second in our series on California jails: Inside the Santa Barbara County Jails. Here we will let you in on

• Inmate Processing
• Santa Barbara Jail Operations
• Rehabilitation
• Overcrowding and Recidivism

Is there a jail you’d like to know more about? Let us know. We’ll get you “Inside” (or, if you need we’ll get you out!).

Santa Ana — In continued controversy over early release of inmates, an Orange County Superior Court judge has decided against Sheriff deputy union members, denying their request Thursday to halt the early release of Orange County inmates.

Reportedly, Judge Steven Perk wants the final decision left in the hands of Sheriff Sandra Hutchens stating, “How do I issue an order to the board of supervisors telling the sheriff how to run the jail… if I don’t have jurisdiction over that person, then I don’t have the authority.”

The Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs wanted to put a stop Read more »

Reportedly, County Sheriff Stan Sniff received the go ahead from his Riverside County Board of Supervisors to hire guards and other staff to run several new cell blocks that were just added to the  Banning jail. The board gave the Sheriff’s Department $12.6 million to do so, after a unanimous vote. This means that 142 new jobs will be available in 2010-11, which is great news for some in a struggling economy.  An additional  $750,000 earmarked for hires was also received by Sniff. 

The Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, aka “Banning Jail“, upgrades are expected to be finished next month, but until now Sheriff Sniff feared he would not have enough funds to hire these security and administrative personnel, thanks to a former $50 million county deficit.

Now, 45 sworn law enforcement personnel are Read more »

A man who allegedly lobbed firebombs at five different targets in San Diego, including two police stations and a middle school, was arrested after a wild high-speed chase that started in Del Mar Heights and ended in Temecula. San Diego resident Edward Batties, 26, was taken into custody on suspicion of arson, one count of evading a police officer, two counts of burglary and two counts of possession of a destructive device.  He is being held at San Diego County Jail on $160,000 bail.

Why did he go on a firebombing rampage that lasted 36-hours?  Investigators looking at possibilities and following up on leads. Once such clue has surfaced in the form of an entry Batties made on his MySpace page more than two years ago.  On it, he lists among his desires: “blowing the world up.”

Batties’ bizarre bomb spree began Read more »

A Sacramento law intended to reduce overcrowding by granting certain inmates at state prisons and county jails an early release is sparking anger throughout California. The law expands early release credits for state prisoners who complete educational and vocational programs by shaving months off their sentences.  Low-level offenders who leave prison will no longer be monitored by the state, making probation violations an unlikely reason for re-arrest.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill for this law last fall in an effort to ease the state’s crushing budget deficit.  As a result, around 6,500 state inmates are due to be freed this year, to save California $500 million.

At least 18 of California’s 58 counties have applied the law retroactively by giving their county jail inmates additional credits for time already served before it took effect.  This has lead to a huge increase of Read more »

Alameda County — In what was originally slated to be a juvenile detention hall, the city of Dublin  has opted for a brand new courthouse to be completed by 2014.

Having a courthouse in Dublin will also make transporting prisoners from the Santa Rita jail much easier. And, talk of an underground tunnel from Santa Rita to Dublin could make the transfer of inmates virtually seamless. This should result in reduced transportation costs and increased safety.

Another plus is local residents could possibly have a better chance of completing jury duty in a courthouse much closer to their homes.

The group called ”Friends of Dublin” led by Kasie Hildenbrand and David Haubert (both members of the Dublin City Council) helped to lead the decision. 

Nearby Pleasanton offers a court facility, however Read more »