Pubdate: Tue,  2 Jul 2002
Source: Daily News of Los Angeles (CA)
Copyright: 2002 Daily News of Los Angeles
Contact: http://www.dailynews.com/info/contact/index.asp
Website: http://www.DailyNews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/246
Author: Troy Anderson, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

SHERIFF RELEASES 49 MORE SUSPECTS

Sheriff Lee Baca on Monday freed 49 misdemeanor suspects being held on less 
than $25,000 bail under a new policy that is expected to let hundreds more 
avoid incarceration in the coming days to save money on jail costs.

The move came after the release last month of more than 2,300 inmates who 
had served at least 70 percent of their sentences for misdemeanor convictions.

Under Baca's new policy, suspects arrested on misdemeanors with bail of 
$25,000 or less will be issued citations and will not be booked into jail.

Sheriff's Capt. Ray Leyva said authorities initially expected to release 
146 inmates but identified only 49 who met the criteria.

After promising to appear in court, the inmates were released on charges of 
nonviolent misdemeanors, such as drug possession, being under the influence 
of drugs, public drunkenness, vandalism, trespassing, driving with a 
suspended license and some other vehicle code violations. He said most 
would have quickly bailed out if they had the money.

"It's our belief that, given the crimes they are in custody for, we would 
only hope that they would not become a problem for the community they are 
going back to," Leyva said.

Inmates will not be released if they are being held for state prison or 
mental health authorities or if they are suspected of committing a sex 
crime, violating a domestic-violence restraining order, drunken driving or 
failing to appear in court after a previous arrest.

Of those convicted of misdemeanors and released last month, so far none has 
been arrested again in connection with a serious crime, sheriff's officials 
said.

County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said some of those inmates had 
plea-bargained serious felonies down to misdemeanors and are dangerous people.

"If you are releasing known felons who have had plea bargains to reduce 
their sentences in jail, then you have walking time-bombs prowling our 
streets," Antonovich said.

Last week, the supervisors approved sweeping budget cuts of $228 million 
countywide -- the most ever -- including $62 million in the Sheriff's 
Department.

Sheriff's officials say they needed to release the inmates so the 
department could shut down the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood 
and the Biscailuz Recovery Center, saving the department $18 million to $20 
million a year.

A county Grand Jury report, released Friday, found the Biscailuz drug 
rehabilitation program costs an average of $105 a day per inmate, double 
the cost at other county jail facilities, and recommended the department 
closely track the expenses.

Sheriff's officials said the releases were necessitated by a steady 
increase in the county's inmate population, which had grown to a high of 
21,000. As of Monday, the jail population stood at 19,953.

Baca has said jail costs have increased for a variety of reasons, including 
more inmates entering the system than being released or awaiting 
transportation to a state prison or mental hospital, higher bails and 
longer jail sentences. Sentences increased from an average of 40 days in 
January to 45 days in May, he said.

Also, Baca said in writing, Proposition 36, the drug rehabilitation measure 
approved by voters a year ago with the goal of reducing the number in 
custody, has actually increased the jail population.

Before Proposition 36 took effect, inmates were often released and placed 
on probation at the time of their arraignment on a minor drug-possession 
charge. But now more inmates are being remanded to custody until they are 
released to a drug program. The average transfer time is eight days.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom