Keep Bailing

In order to save the state budget, non-violent offenders have been allowed early release credits for their time served and are now being released. The new state law has allowed almost seven times more inmates, than were originally estimated, to be released from a Sonoma County Jail. 

Assistant Sheriff Linday Suvoy stated  Read more »

FRESNO , CA — On Friday, 34 inmates were released from the Fresno County Jail. This comes only one day after Fresno’s Sheriff Margaret Mims won a lawsuit against Fresno County Supervisors. Sheriff Mims sued, claiming her constitutional rights had been violated by the County Supervisors. She claimed 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 »

All across America, states are running out of ways to combat prison overcrowding. Prisons are like dams that threaten to break, with an inmate overflow that will be impossible to contain. Many people feel the last two decades of the 20th century were the point at which prison overcrowding began to accelerate faster than states could keep up.

During those times, states tried to fight rising crime rates by meting out stiffer sentences. This tactic did reduce criminal activity, but it also sent jail populations skyrocketing . Recent early release programs that were intended to combat the financially devastating inmate-influx have been sharply criticized by police and the public.

In California, where the state’s 33 prisons are designed to hold 85,000 inmates, these detention centers are packed to the gills with 160,000 men and women — almost double the amount! But at last, there may be a solution to this situation, born from what some might see as an unlikely source: 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 »

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 »